Vega Global and Arup won the Leisure & Entertainment Project category at the Inavate APAC Awards 2025. Hurrairah bin Sohail explores the installation in-depth.
Kai Tak Stadium stands as the crown jewel and centrepiece of the newly developed Kai Tak Sports Park in Hong Kong, representing a 50,000-seat multipurpose venue designed specifically to redefine the standards for both global entertainment and elite athletics.
A project of this massive stature naturally involves a large number of moving parts, requiring a seamless level of cooperation between multiple stakeholders to bring such a complex vision to fruition. Populous served as the lead architect, while Arup took on the role of AV consultant. To bring the technical designs to life, Vega was appointed as the system integrator, tasked with the immense responsibility of installing the technology that would power this landmark venue.
Reflecting on the scope of the work, Andrew Lau, contract manager at Vega, and Ray Cheng, project manager at Vega, explain that the core AV infrastructure was built from the ground up to support the venue’s dual functionality: “Kai Tak Stadium had to be equally capable of hosting international sports matches and entertainment events ranging from intimate gatherings to massive, stadium-filling concerts. Vega was responsible for the comprehensive ICT package, which included the video broadcasting system, the video scoreboard system, the AV multimedia display system, the robotic camera system, and the sophisticated audio systems tailored for the multipurpose event spaces.”
The technological journey for Kai Tak Stadium began before the pandemic, which covered all three primary venues within the park. However, the global disruption caused by Covid-19 in 2020 meant the project faced significant delays. Work only resumed in earnest in late 2021, at which point the project had to progress at an incredibly accelerated pace to ensure completion.
Because timelines had been squeezed, and with a calendar of high-profile events already booked for the venue, meeting the final deadline was absolutely nonnegotiable. Combined with the high expectations for technical excellence, Vega found itself in a position where it had to perform at the highest level to deliver the project on time and according to the demanding specifications.
Throughout the process, the AV professionals worked closely together and placed a heavy emphasis on client satisfaction. To meet the critical deadline for the late-2025 National Games, the integrator went as far as operating on 24-hour shifts, successfully completing the installation a full year in advance to allow ample time for rehearsals and testing.
The Main Stadium audio architecture features Electro-Voice speakers and Dynacord amplifiers. This entire ecosystem is managed via Biamp and Yamaha control systems, a configuration that ensures a Speech Intelligibility (STI) of 0.55 or higher across every one of the 50,000 seats.
To maintain the atmosphere even when the stadium is filled with a roaring crowd, the system employs Ambient Noise Sensing (ANS) technology, which automatically adjusts output based on real-time environmental noise levels.
Visual spectacle
The visual spectacle is prioritised at Kai Tak Stadium, where multiple LED videowalls form the heart of the display system. These screens were designed to ensure complete audience coverage, providing real-time, zero-latency live broadcasting to every corner of the venue.
Within the Main Stadium, the two largest videowalls measure 27.84m by 12.48m, supported by five additional units measuring 8.64m by 4.8m. All these primary displays use Aoto E10 LED tiles.
Elsewhere in the facility, the Indoor Sport Centre uses Aoto portable LED panels, while the Public Sports Ground features a videowall measuring 17.28m by 10.56m using Aoto E16 LED tiles. Andrew Lau elaborates on the selection process for these displays, noting: “There was a rigorous shootout between several major manufacturers. While pricing was certainly a consideration, it was not the primary factor. Instead, the decision-making team prioritised quality, manufacturer support, warranties, and on-site service.”
To manage the complex video processing and graphics required for such a large-scale setup, Vega implemented an Analog Way Aquilon C series video signal processor, an Analog Way multiscreen event controller, and an Analog Way Picturall Quad Compact Mark II media server. The control layer is further bolstered by a Ross Video Ultratouch-2 control panel, a Ross Video CG graphic engine, and a Ross Video LED video mixing router.
The LED videowalls at the Indoor Sport Centre highlight Vega’s prowess in delivering innovative displays. The flagship feature is an LED videowall system composed of approximately 200 individual modules. Rather than being a fixed-format board, this system is built on a plug-and-play principle where modules hang from one another, much like the LED walls used in major concert tours. This modularity allows the display to be completely disassembled and reconfigured into different sizes, shapes, or bespoke patterns depending on the event.
Whether the venue is hosting a sporting spectacle or a corporate event, the hardware can be adapted to match the specific spatial and visual requirements of the day. This reconfigurable nature represents a significant technological and engineering achievement, especially considering the logistical complexity of managing over 200 modules within a rapid deployment schedule.
In contrast, the Youth Sports Ground, which serves as an outdoor field, features a large, fixed LED video scoreboard measuring 19.2m by 10.56m. Given its outdoor location, the primary focus for this display was environmental robustness. It is IP64-rated, meaning it is fully protected against dust, is waterproof, and capable of withstanding the wind and rain common for Hong Kong’s climate. While it lacks the modular flexibility of the Indoor Sports Centre system, its strength lies in its scale and its ability to operate reliably in harsh outdoor conditions.
Returning to the Main Stadium, the scoreboard system presented its own set of unique engineering challenges. These LED walls are located high within the stadium structure, and the installation conditions were described as particularly harsh. To reach the mounting positions, workers had to use a C-shaped lift to ascend 50m to 60m in height. Every LED module had to be installed by hand, one by one, in a high-altitude environment where safety was a critical concern. The successful execution of this high-altitude work showcases Vega’s ability to handle extreme logistical and safety requirements.
Routing freedom
Managing video signal transmission is a dedicated IP-based AV network with an emphasis on redundancy and security. The network supports a variety of protocols, including Dante for digital audio networking and AV-over-IP for the broader AV systems. It also includes IPTV-BRI data port provisioning. This architecture was designed for both high performance and cost-effectiveness. This level of performance is vital for the more than 100 displays located in areas with direct sightlines to the action, such as the VIP lounges, where any lag between the live event and the screen would be immediately noticeable.
AV over IP and multimedia presentation systems are leveraged extensively throughout the facility. In the Indoor Sport Centre, Vega provided standard presentation capabilities for 23 multi-purpose rooms. Each room is equipped with HDMI inputs, microphones, ceiling speakers, and local control via dedicated touchpanels. These spaces are designed to support high-end streaming and low-latency AV routing, making them ideal for corporate events, VIP hospitality, and hybrid events that involve both live and remote audiences.
Crucially, the system is designed to be scalable. The AV-over-IP backbone allows the venue to expand the number of active rooms — for instance from 10 to 30 — without the need to redesign the core architecture. This flexibility is a bonus layer of value delivered by Vega for the facility, allowing it to host NBA-style fixtures and international-level events that require a high density of VIPsupporting spaces.
The Main Stadium takes this hospitality ecosystem to an even larger scale, featuring 77 VIP rooms in total, including 65 boxes and 12 larger suites. The largest of the multi-functional spaces is the Function Lounge, which can accommodate 100 guests when fully combined.
This lounge is equipped with four 13,000 lumens brightness Christie projectors and four 220-in Dalite projection screens. Furthermore, there are 10 multifunctional rooms that can be subdivided into 30 smaller units using partitions.
The control layer uses Extron IPCP Pro 250 processors and TLC Pro 526M 2-way wired touchpanels to ensure that the complex web of AV and presentation systems remain easy to manage for stadium staff. The AV system is programmed to adapt automatically; when the rooms are combined, the AV behaves as a single integrated space, and when separated, each room operates independently with its own fixed TV displays and local sound reinforcement.
In summation, Vega delivered a total of 110 meeting spaces across the three venues of the Kai Tak Stadium according to client requirements and within the specified timelines. To gain a sense of the scale a look at the equipment list reveals that a total of 45 Biamp DSPs, 777 Biamp speakers, and 117 Biamp amplifiers were deployed across these meeting rooms.
Going live
Broadcasting capabilities at Kai Tak Stadium are built to meet the rigorous specifications of major international sports bodies like FIFA and the NBA. This requirement necessitated broadcast-grade LED displays, audio equipment, and infrastructure.
In the Indoor Sport Centre, the in-stadium broadcasting system is designed for seamless integration with television networks. Vega installed a full fibre backbone throughout the venue, allowing TV stations to simply connect their cameras or fibre devices at designated positions. The signal handover is then managed by an operator in the venue’s studio or control room, who handles editing and graphics. This infrastructure is built for long-term capacity, essentially providing the venue with the functionality of a dedicated TV tower.
The Main Stadium’s broadcast system is significantly larger than those in the other venues, roughly four times the scale of the YSG in terms of channels, bandwidth, and broadcasting points. It is designed to distribute live feeds to more than 700 displays throughout the entire venue.
To capture the action, the stadium uses world-class camera technology, including the Sony HDC-P50 and the Spidercam MK3 robotic camera system. The latter is a flagship feature and represents the first permanent installation of its kind in Asia. Unlike the temporary rental systems often seen at major events, this system is a permanent fixture of the stadium architecture.
The Spidercam is suspended on four wires from fixed points, a design that required incredibly precise engineering calculations regarding line length, wire tension, and routing. All system parameters had to be pre-calculated to ensure safe operation. This permanent installation is a major differentiator for Kai Tak Stadium, as it allows the venue to qualify for FIFA licences and host high-level matches like the World Cup. Vega demonstrated prowess and adaptability in deploying this unique system. Beyond the primary broadcast and display systems, the venue also integrates digital signage and wayfinding via Exterity products, all managed through a centralised remote-control system.
Integrating with purpose
One of the most significant technical achievements of the project involved mitigating the risks associated with the Main Stadium’s retractable roof. When a roof of that scale opens, it can create vibrations that pose a threat to any equipment mounted beneath it, such as the LED scoreboards and the robotic camera system.
Vega had to ensure that these vibrations would not deform the LED walls or compromise the stability of the camera wires. Successfully managing these structural and engineering challenges, along with the sheer scale of the long fibre runs and numerous endpoints, serves as a testament to Vega’s technical capability.
The sheer physical and technical scale of Kai Tak Stadium was also a challenge. The Main Stadium alone represented a monumental engineering undertaking, with an AV scope that dwarfed the other venues by a factor of two to four. Navigating a project of this magnitude required managing incredibly long fibre runs and a vast number of endpoints, all while maintaining a level of complexity in distribution and control that pushed the boundaries of standard stadium integration. For Vega, the successful delivery of such a massive, interconnected infrastructure sets the integrator above the rest of the field and worthy winners of the Leisure & Entertainment project category of the Inavate APAC Awards 2025.
Paul Henry, senior principal, co-managing director for APAC, Populous, who was involved in the project from inception, said regarding the establishment of the stadium: “Hong Kong is one of the densest cities in the world so to have a facility like this that is so woven into the fabric of the surrounding community is something very special, particularly for local Hong Kongers. It’s a jewel in the city for major international events and elite athlete development. The design of the Sports Park connects it to the city and the Harbour and highlights its unique civic location.”
John Sharkey, CEO of Kai Tak Sports Park, effectively summarised the outcome of the project by stating at the venue’s inauguration: “With the completion and opening of Kai Tak Sports Park, Hong Kong is now better positioned to actively attract large-scale international events, drawing more visitors and investments, and injecting new vitality into the development of the sports and performing arts culture industries. We will make full use of the Park’s advanced sports facilities, which meet international standards, to assist the Hong Kong Government in realising its vision of an international sports platform. This will help develop the sports industry’s home court economy and welcome entertainment events to shine on the international stage at Kai Tak.”
Molly Chow, executive director of North Asia, Vega, concludes: “This project represents one of the largest audiovisual undertakings that Vega has ever undertaken. I am immensely proud of our team’s extensive knowledge, technical expertise, and craftsmanship in installation. We have not only delivered a world-class project that positions Hong Kong to host international-standard events, but we have also showcased our exceptional communication skills in coordinating effectively with a diverse range of stakeholders, including the Kai Tak Sports Park operations team, AV consultants, main contractors, subcontractors, and many others. Vega’s solid background as the largest system integrator in Hong Kong and across APAC has empowered us to execute this project within an extremely tight timeline, ensuring that Kai Tak can officially open on schedule and support the advanced events already booked for Kai Tak Stadium."