Lam Yik\/Bloomberg\/Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Another way to intensify the audience experience is by containing and amplifying crowd noise. The stadium\u2019s retractable roof \u2013 which can open and close fully within 30 minutes \u2013 is engineered with the highest level of acoustic insulation the firm has ever incorporated. \u201cAs soon as you close the roof, the noise stays in, and the atmosphere just gets elevated,\u201d Henry said. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe atmosphere is going to be crazy,\u201d said Cado Lee, one of Hong Kong\u2019s most experienced men\u2019s players, after touring the stadium. \u201cI think it\u2019ll all hit us when we run out onto the field and see everyone in the packed stands.\u201d <\/p>\n
The players were equally impressed by the stadium\u2019s 20 changing rooms each equipped with physiotherapy facilities and video analysis tools. <\/p>\n
For the new stadium\u2019s designers, the trick to replicating the party spirit of past Sevens tournaments hinged on faithfully recreating the infamous South Stand \u2013 a designated zone for hardcore revelers at the old stadium. <\/p>\n
There, spectators competed to outdo one another with outrageous costumes and copious amounts of booze. Sudden showers of beer, cider, and other mysterious fluids became as integral to the vibe as the deafening roar of the crowd. At night, after the final whistle was blown, thousands of jubilant fans poured into the streets, heading toward the city\u2019s bars to continue the debauchery, sometimes till dawn. <\/p>\n
Even the players couldn\u2019t resist the infectious energy. \u201cIt\u2019s definitely more of a party \u2013 with some rugby involved,\u201d said Christy Cheng, former captain for the Hong Kong Women\u2019s Sevens. <\/p>\n
At the Kai Tak Stadium, the new South Stand features <\/strong>the exact same seating capacity and nearly identical entrance ways. But instead of the familiar green hillside backdrop of the old open-air stadium, the new South Stand is framed by a sweeping glass curtain wall that offers panoramic views of the harbor and the Hong Kong skyline. <\/p>\n It is against this towering vista that bands, including the UK\u2019s Kaiser Chiefs, will take the stage in between the matches, on a vast terrace just above the stand. Bridging the North and South stands is a 100-meter-long drinks service station dubbed \u201cAsia\u2019s longest bar,\u201d designed to ease the notoriously long queues as fans scramble for top-ups between games. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt will be familiar, but it will be amplified so much more,\u201d Henry said of the new party vibe. <\/p>\n
For some, that promise remains the Sevens\u2019 biggest allure. \u201cI only ever go to the South Stand,\u201d said Dalton Huskins, who has been five times. \u201cIn all honesty, I\u2019m not a huge rugby fan, but when the Sevens comes around, I\u2019m like: I can take an interest in rugby for a few days,\u201d said the 32-year-old, who plans to show up this year dressed as a \u201csexy farmer.\u201d <\/p>\n
Local hero Salom Yiu, Hong Kong\u2019s longest-serving Rugby Sevens player, relishes what will be a rare experience as a spectator after his emotional retirement from the sport at last year\u2019s edition. <\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve actually never been to the South Stand in my life, even after 14 years of competing in this tournament, so this time will be my first. I really want to feel the party spirit,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n
James Farndon, chief executive of Hong Kong China Rugby, the event\u2019s main organizer, said he expected \u201call of the traditions and atmosphere of the Sevens to not just continue but to be amplified by the state-of-the-art venue at Kai Tak.\u201d <\/p>\n
\u201cAt the same time we are also very excited to see what new traditions are created by the fans inside the stadium this year.\u201d <\/p>\n
For many fans and players alike, the Sevens isn\u2019t just about what happens on the field \u2013 it\u2019s also about what comes after. The post-match revelry has long been a big part of the tournament\u2019s charm. <\/p>\n
Coker, the teacher and a South Stand regular, recalled how the shared journey from the stadium to bars in the nearby Wan Chai district was an experience in itself. \u201cIt was really nice because you had thousands of people walking out of the stadium together. Everyone was singing, everyone was in good spirits, and they were all going towards Wan Chai,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n
Players felt the same way. \u201cAt the previous stadium, we could go straight to the party districts easily. But here, how will they make up for it?\u201d wondered Yiu, the local Sevens legend. <\/p>\n
The 28-hectare sports park, which includes a mall and a hotel, boasts dozens of restaurants popular with local families and friends on weekends, yet few can rival the high-energy, late-night revelry of the downtown bar strips. <\/p>\n
To add to the festive spirit, pop-up food and beer stalls will line the \u201cfan village,\u201d an outdoor space just outside the stadium, during the tournament. But with a closing time of 11 p.m., they may wind down just as the night is getting started for diehard revelers. <\/p>\n
Nevertheless, with or without the after-party, this year\u2019s Sevens is set to carry forward a nearly half-century-old tradition. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe Sevens is one of the reasons why rugby is so big in Hong Kong. People you meet from back home fly in for it, because everyone has heard about it,\u201d said Luke Linssner, who has been playing rugby since he was nine. <\/p>\n
For Cheng, the former captain, the Hong Kong Sevens will always hold a special place \u2013 with its sea of costumes and unmatched sense of fun. <\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s what sports is all about \u2013 to be able to bring people together and create that magical atmosphere together,\u201d she said. \u201cI really look forward to making new memories.\u201d <\/p>\n<\/p>\n
This post appeared first on cnn.com<\/div>\n
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