Gaming operator and former legislator Chan Meng Kam was awarded on Wednesday with the Golden Lotus decoration of honor by the Macau government. The award recognizes “individuals or entities that have made outstanding contributions to the image and reputation of the MSAR,” an official release explained.
Chan is a renowned businessman in Macau that heads Golden Dragon Group, from where he manages several gaming venues including Casino Golden Dragon and the latest addition to his portfolio, Hotel Lan Kwai Fong, which he acquired last year for HK$2 billion.
Besides his activity as a businessman, Chan is also well known for his political footprint. He was one of the most important political voices in the city during his three terms as a lawmaker. However, after winning the local election in 2013, Chan announced that he was not intending to fight for a fourth term in the Legislative Assembly in the 2017 vote.
It is for these reasons that Chan has been touted as a likely contender for a Macau gaming license should authorities decide to open the door for a seventh IR operator.
His position as the most voted candidate in the Legislative Assembly in 2013, his links with the Chinese central government and his influence over the powerful Fujian community in Macau have positioned Chan as a key personality in the development of Macau over the last decade.
Ranked number 46 in IAG’s Asian Gaming Power 50 list in 2018, he is also renowned as one of Macau’s richest individuals and largest land owners.
