|
HONG KONG - THE owner of Bruce Lee's family mansion in Hong Kong has abandoned his plan to sell the property and will consider turning it into a museum celebrating the gongfu legend, a report said yesterday.
Millionaire philanthropist Yu Panglin, who bought the house in the 1960s for HK$850,000 (S$150,000), had invited bidders for the property, the South China Morning Post said.
But he decided not to sell after fans of the star urged him to preserve the house.
'I will consider the views of the community and different parties. I may consider donating the property if the majority thinks we should preserve it,' he said. 'Money is not my major concern.'
His original plan was to have part of the proceeds donated to the Sichuan earthquake victims.
Mr Yu said the house, which until five years ago was used as a seedy 'love hotel', had attracted many bidders, including one who made an offer of US$105 million (S$143 million), according to the report.
The US-born Lee died in 1973 at the age of 32, after a brief but bright career as the high-kicking hero of Hong Kong movies such as Big Boss and Fist of Fury, which remain hugely popular across the world.
Bruce Lee Club consultant Michael Tien Puk Sun welcomed the plan to turn the two-storey house into a museum. He said: 'That would be fantastic news because fans and the community wouldn't have the money to buy out this property.'
Hong Kong's Tourism Commission said it has not had discussions with the owner but has been studying examples such as the Beatles Story in Liverpool, England, and Elvis Presley's Graceland Mansion in Tennessee, United States.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
| 
