Hong Kong sports officials said that the government's decision to foot the total estimated HK$19B ($2.5B) cost of the Kai Tak sports complex "will save time and money," according to Alvin Sallay of the SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST. Hong Kong CEO Leung Chun-ying "also earned praise for reiterating the importance of the project in his January policy address." Hong Kong Rugby Football Union Chair Trevor Gregory said, "It is excellent to hear that the government has sorted out the financing model to build it and fund it themselves. This is fantastic that things are now starting to move ahead." It can't happen quickly enough. At least things are starting to move forward." Hong Kong FA CEO Mark Sutcliffe "was delighted." Sutcliffe: "It is best to use public funding if the government can afford it and it is good to hear they will fund the project." Home Affairs Deputy Secretary Jonathan McKinley said that "swift progress was being made now that the funding mechanism had been determined." Earlier in January, "the Legislative Council was briefed on the Kai Tak sports complex and that it was consistent with the government's sports policy." But there had been a few dissenting voices among legislators, "some of whom had wanted to delay the project by a year over costs and that the government was solely responsible for funding" (SCMP, 1/27).
