The Kai Tak Sports Park held a grand opening ceremony on March 1, with 8,500 public tickets selling out within half an hour. However, the Hong Kong Wen Wei Po reported that on the day of the opening ceremony, suspected criminals exploited a security loophole at the sports park to develop a "backdoor business", charging people thousands of dollars to enter without tickets.
A reporter from the Hong Kong Wen Wei Po was interviewing the audience's entry situation outside the Kai Tak Sports Park around 6:10 pm last Saturday (March 1) when a man dressed in a dark blue top approached him. He lowered his voice and asked the reporter if he wanted to enter the venue for the opening ceremony, saying, "It's HK$1,000 for entry, and HK$1,500 for the seats on higher levels. If two people enter, I can do it for HK$1,600."
When asked how he could enter the venue without a ticket, the man claimed he had "made arrangements" with some ticket inspectors, "The staff checking the bags haven't been 'greeted'; they won't check thoroughly. The ticket inspectors, however, have been 'greeted.'" As for the security check outside the venue, he said the system was practically non-existent, "If you just walk in, the security won't care."
Thus, a text reporter and a photo reporter from Hong Kong Wen Wei Po followed the man through the security checkpoint, where the security staff seemed to have an understanding and did not obstruct them. The three people passed through without any security checks. When it came to the ticket inspection, the inspector also turned a blind eye. The reporters walked along the side to the main entrance H, where the man lifted the barrier and led the two reporters inside successfully.
According to the organizers, audience members are prohibited from bringing items like long-handled umbrellas, professional cameras, and outside food and drinks into the venue to avoid safety hazards. However, two reporters were able to enter with a long-handled umbrella and a professional camera, rendering the security check system effectively meaningless.
Once inside the venue, when asked if he was worried about being checked and kicked out for not having a ticket, the man replied that he knew the staff inside, saying, "I'm not worried. If any staff say you're taking someone else's seat, just tell me, and I'll talk to them." He also claimed that he had previously tried to use this "special method" to bring people into a Jay Chou concert, saying, "I brought in over ten people, but a few were discovered taking other people's seats and were ultimately found without tickets and got kicked out. If the staff see you wandering around without a seat, they'll kick you out."
Although the tickets for the opening ceremony had fixed seats, the man indicated that since only 8,500 tickets were publicly sold, and the rest were distributed by the venue and the SAR government, some complimentary guests would "leave spaces," stating, "There are plenty of empty seats, so you don't have to worry about being kicked out." He seemed well aware of the ticket situation that day and reassured people, saying, "You don't have to be afraid with me leading you, nothing will go wrong."
The Kai Tak Sports Park responded today (March 3) expressing great concern over the incident and stated that it will be taken seriously, actively with the security company to follow up on the matter. The management team emphasized that all attendees must have valid tickets and must enter and exit the venue through appropriate channels after ticket verification and security checks. Individuals inside the venue must also adhere to the venue's rules and guidelines. The management team absolutely does not allow anyone without a valid ticket to enter the main venue of the Kai Tak Sports Park for events.
They are closely liaising with law enforcement, and if the investigation reveals any suspected illegal activity, it will be dealt with severely and handed over to the police or the Independent Commission Against Corruption for follow-up, according to the Park.
(Source: Wen Wei Po)
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