HONG KONG - Kung fu legend Bruce Lee's former residence in Hong Kong
will be put up for sale after a plan to turn the property into a museum
dedicated to the icon failed, a report said Wednesday.
Philanthropist
Yu Panglin (photo above), who owns the mansion, which became a rundown 'love hotel',
said he was planning to sell the property for HK$180 million ($23
million) after talks with the government for the museum collapsed last
year.
- Lee's legions of fans have long-demanded a significant hometown tribute to the Chinese-American star, who died in 1973 at the age of 32 after helping to bring martial arts to the mainstream with classic kung fu films such as "Fists of Fury" (1971) and "Enter the Dragon" (1973).
- However they were left disappointed after the Hong Kong government shelved the museum plan in June last year, saying it failed to reach a consensus with Yu following two years of negotiations, without giving details.
Yu
told Singtao Daily the government rejected his proposal to expand the
mansion - Lee's last residence - by adding three floors to include a
cinema, library and martial arts training centre, which were his
conditions to donate the property.
The 5,000 square-foot (460
square-metre) two-storey house in Hong Kong's upscale residential
district of Kowloon Tong was turned into a short-stay hotel with rooms
rented for as little as US$25 an hour, usually to amorous couples.
Yu could not be reached Wednesday for comment.
The
star died in Hong Kong after a severe reaction to medication. His fans
have criticised the lack of a larger memorial to their hero in his
hometown, except for a statue on the waterfront Avenue of Stars.
Authorities
said in October last year a gallery would be set up in Lee's honour at
the government-run Hong Kong Heritage Museum.
Source: The Star
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