They haven't been patient by design they haven't had a choice in that matter. When the financing's haven't closed they alternative is to keep trying or quit. They have kept trying; that is hardly demonstrating a purposeful plan to be patient.
if HKHE had closed what would have happened to the plan to be patient and allow others to do the work for them. Would this have caused the others to not spend? Hardly.
Having no alternative but to wait isn't the same thing as a plan to be patent.