Why did Hong Kong’s 11 Skies fail and can the megaproject be rescued?

The roar of plane engines and the hustle and bustle at Hong Kong International Airport’s Terminal 2 present a stark contrast to the pin-drop silence at the adjacent 11 Skies commercial complex.

A South China Morning Post reporter who travelled between the two places in early October found minimal footfall at the shopping centre, with the bright and airy environment of the airport terminal replaced by dim, stuffy and boarded-up corridors, and poor air conditioning amid the simmering outdoor heat.

Occupying a gross floor area of 3.8 million square feet, 11 Skies is a mammoth project at the airport. Seventy per cent of the space was originally earmarked for a mall with 800 stores and 120 food and drink concepts, and the rest equally divided between experiential entertainment facilities and grade A office spaces.

But only one of its three office towers currently houses some companies running businesses at the airport.