Work has begun on the long-anticipated HK$30bn (US$3.2bn, €3.4bn, £2.9bn) Kai Tak Sports Park in Hong Kong.

Designed by global architecture practice Populous, the sprawling complex is expected to "set a new benchmark for sports, entertainment, and recreation precincts worldwide".

The park will comprise 28-hectares of state-of-the-art facilities and leisure areas, including a 50,000-capacity stadium (dubbed the "Pearl of the Orient"), indoor and outdoor sports centres, a 40-lane bowling hub, health and wellness zones, and several restaurants.

Additionally, the campus will provide eight hectares of green space for various activities, such as cycling, jogging, and hiking.

According to the Chairman of Kai Tak Sports Park Limited, Dr Adrian Cheng Chi-kong, the new space will deliver "the infrastructure to support the Government's long-term strategy for sports development in Hong Kong".

In a speech, he said: "The park will create the stage for international sports events where local elite athletes can excel, and where the community can come together for sports activities and recreation."

Another official commented: "This is the Government's most important investment in sports infrastructure in recent decades.

"When completed, it will become the biggest sports venue in Hong Kong."

First proposed over a decade ago, the project is slated to be completed in 2023.