Use of city-wide spaces important

As further proof of its commitment, the government is making the area pedestrian-friendly despite some backlash, splurging a further HK$23 billion to build subterranean road systems and carparks so motor traffic is relegated underground.

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Chief executive of West Kowloon Cultural District Authority, Mrs Betty Fung, said the opening of the various facilities has been intentionally staggered to keep plans nimble.

This ensures that the decades-long plan can adapt to new developments such as the current craving for more intersection between the arts and technology.

West Kowloon Cultural District, when up and running, is expected to be wholly self-sustainable.

To prevent the prime real estate from being reduced to a playground for tourists, her organisation has also committed to providing 23ha of public open space, such as an art park and a waterfront promenade - favoured weekend hang-outs for families.

She said: "We want to commercialise arts and culture. This is a very hot topic because arts and culture used to be heavily financed and subsidised by the government.

"But increasingly, as is the case in both Europe and the United States, we want to rely on ourselves to generate more income. Even in the Middle East, they are building lots of cultural facilities to attract tourists."

The "cost-recovery ratio" currently is at about half, through avenues like ticket sales, memberships and sponsorships, and the renting out of spaces to commercial groups like shops and restaurants.

This funding gap would ideally be plugged with future sales of properties in the area for residential, hotel and commercial use.

The West Kowloon Cultural District is an exorbitant bet on Hong Kong's cultural production and on the current tourism trends towards authenticity and experiences.

There is no question Hong Kong can produce world-class shows.

M+, which opened in 2021, is already Asia's third most-visited museum.

Its Yayoi Kusama exhibition has been exported and been seen by more than 1.3 million people in the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain, and the Serralves Museum of Contemporary Art in Porto, Portugal.