The South China AA-Jockey Club Stadium (), also known as the Caroline Hill Stadium (), is a multi-use

stadium A stadium ( : stadiums or stadia) is a place or venue for (mostly) outdoor sports, concerts, or other events and consists of a field or stage either partly or completely surrounded by a tiered structure designed to allow spectators to stand o ...

Hong Kong Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China ( abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delt ...

. It is currently owned by the

South China Athletic Association South China Athletic Association (known simply as South China, SCAA, ) is a Hong Kong professional football club that competes in the Hong Kong First Division, the second-tier league in Hong Kong football league system. The club is historica ...

. The stadium was originally designed to accommodate up to 12,000 spectators when it was opened in 1953.

History

South China Athletic Association (SCAA), under the chairman Lee Hysan, acquired the

Crown land Crown land (sometimes spelled crownland), also known as royal domain, is a territorial area belonging to the monarch, who personifies the Crown. It is the equivalent of an entailed estate and passes with the monarchy, being inseparable from it. ...

land lease of the present site in Caroline Hill in 1927. A clubhouse and spectator stands were built in 1934. During the

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, the facilities were occupied by the Japanese force. In 1946, South China AA resumed the control of the facilities in the Caroline Hill as well as in King's Park. New four-sized stands were built in 1953. In 1966, a bowling centre was built around the stadium, which was followed by a sports centre (the Low Block) in 1976.

Re-developments

From the 1980s to circa 2012, three of the four stands of the stadium were demolished for re-development. One side of the stand was re-developed into the

Sports Complex A sports complex is a group of sports facilities. For example, there are track and field stadiums, football stadiums, baseball stadiums, swimming pools, and Indoor arenas. This area is a sports complex, for fitness. Olympic Park is also a kind ...

(the High Block) and a golf driving range, which the superstructure was completed in 1987. The football pitch also served as the

greens Greens may refer to: *Leaf vegetables such as collard greens, mustard greens, spring greens, winter greens, spinach, etc. Politics Supranational * Green politics * Green party, political parties adhering to Green politics * Global Greens * Europ ...

. In 1991, a re-development plan of the stadium was announced. The proposed new complex had three stands and a dormitory for footballers, all but one of the stands were demolished afterwards. The land use of dormitory was approved by the regulator in 1998. In 2005, the club attempted to build a hotel on the former site of a stand. However, the application of the change of land use, was rejected by the

Town Planning Board The Town Planning Board () is a statutory body of the Hong Kong Government tasked with developing urban planning, urban plans with an aim to ensuring the "health, safety, convenience and general welfare of the community through the process of ...

. On 25 October 2012,

The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust The Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) is one of the oldest institutions in Hong Kong, having been founded in 1884. In 1959, it was granted a Royal Charter and renamed The Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club (). The institution reverted to its original name ...

announced that the SCAA's facilities: the football pitch, the remaining football stand and the driving range, would undergo a major redevelopment with funding of HK$126 million from the trust. New or improved facilities will include a third-generation artificial turf pitch with a covered spectator stand. The stadium was officially re-opened after a nine year renovation on 26 November 2021. The total cost of the project was $370 million, with $170 million coming from the Jockey Club and the other $200 million coming from South China.

Location

The stadium is located on 88

Caroline Hill Road Caroline may refer to: People * Caroline (given name), a feminine given name * J. C. Caroline (born 1933), American college and National Football League player * Jordan Caroline (born 1996), American (men's) basketball player Places Antarctica * ...

. According to the club, it is located in the

Causeway Bay Causeway Bay is list of buildings, sites and areas in Hong Kong, an area and Victoria Park, Hong Kong, a bay on Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong, straddling the border of the Eastern District, Hong Kong, Eastern and the Wan Chai District, Wan Chai ...

area, however, in government's urban planning zones, it is part of

Wong Nai Chung Happy Valley () is an upper-income residential area in Hong Kong, located on Hong Kong Island. The area is bordered by Caroline Hill to the east, Jardine's Lookout to the south, Morrison Hill to the west, and Causeway Bay to the north. Administ ...

Outline Zoning Plan. The stadium is very near to the Hong Kong Stadium. Behind the last remaining stand of the stadium, were the Bowling Centre and the Sports Centre of the club.

References

{{South China AA Football venues in Hong Kong 1953 establishments in Hong Kong South China AA