The Consultative Committee on the Core Arts and Cultural Facilities of the West Kowloon Cultural District has urged the Government to take appropriate measures to explain to the public the committee's work and recommendations before making its final decision on the project.

The committee is now consolidating the recommendations and results of relevant studies and will submit a final report to the Chief Executive before its term expires at the end of this month.

The committee today discussed its draft report and examined the need and the justifications for the arts and cultural facilities recommended by its two advisory groups. The pros and cons of various financial options were also compared.

Recommended facilities

The facilities proposed include a mega performance venue, a xiqu - or traditional Chinese theatre - centre, a concert hall, a chamber music hall, a great theatre, medium-sized theatres, black-box theatres, a so-called "Museum Plus" to showcase the visual culture in the 20th to 21st centuries, and an exhibition centre.

According to these proposals, the seating capacity of Hong Kong's arts and cultural performance venues will increase by almost 40% and the city will also have modern museum facilities comparable to those in other  world cities.

The committee also considered the Government economist's latest report on the project's economic impact. The report acknowledged that the project will have a positive economic impact on Hong Kong.