The three-day tournament that kicks off today will be staged at Kai Tak Sports Park for the first time ever, having been held at Hong Kong Stadium in Causeway Bay for decades.
Speaking on a RTHK radio programme on Friday, Vivian Wong, who also chairs a working group on boosting the local economy in the district, said previous test events at the new grounds had gone smoothly.
“During the Hong Kong Sevens, spectators will be coming in and out at all times,” she said.
“They won’t enter or leave at the same time.
“Therefore, it’s kind of different than, say, the opening ceremony on March the first when they could test out what problems would arise if people left the venue all at once.”
Apart from visiting nearby malls and Kowloon City, Wong expects spectators will also head for the new Sevens fan village for live music, meet-and-greet opportunities with rugby teams, as well as drinks and food booths.
She said the inaugural Kai Tak Dining Cove Carnival next to the Kai Tak Stadium will also be a lure for revellers.
Meanwhile, a Kowloon City restaurant owner revealed on the same show that businesses near the stadium are already seeing a boom in business.
Mark Lam pointed out that business in the area had gone up 20 percent whenever tests events were held, as well as during the stadium’s opening ceremony.
His eatery has been flexible with its opening hours whenever events are scheduled at the city’s largest sports venue.
“In the past, before the pandemic, our restaurant closed at 3am,” Lam said.
“Business was booming at that time.
“But after and during the pandemic, the catering business was sluggish. We had to close by 10:30 or 11pm.
“With the Kai Tak Sports Park opening, now we close around 1 o’clock in the morning, and we open at 11:30am, with no breaks during the day.
“So customers can come during lunch, tea, or after shows at the venue.”
Pedestrian traffic in the district had surged by 20 to 30 percent during the stress tests and the opening ceremony, Lam added.