SJM Holdings Co-Chairman and Executive Director Angela Leong said she was “not worried” about the 11 specific project called for by the Macau casino concession tender currently underway, saying that each bidding company has its “own merits.”
The specific projects called for in the tender document are an increase in international tourism, developing MICE, developing entertainment, holding major sporting events, promoting art and culture, developing health-based tourism, creating themed amusements, promoting Macau as a “City of Gastronomy”, developing community-based tourism, developing maritime tourism, and other projects including developing Macau as a “tech” center.
“I believe that each bidding company has its own merits and I have no worries about [these 11 points],” said Leong.
COVID-19 resurfaced in Macau from June 18, with the government implementing a series of stringent pandemic prevention policies, including the suspension of many business operations.
Angela Leong said she was disappointed by the outbreak of the disease noting, “It was not easy for the commercial establishments to get through this [outbreak], but we all got through it.
“With very few tourists now, commercial establishments must do their best … I believe that Macau will have a chance to recover again.
“But I dare not say when it will recover, maybe in October … we all understand the current situation and we can only hope that it will recover step by step.”
There are views that the government should open entry into Macau for foreigners. Angela Leong said, “All Macau residents, the tourism industry and the gaming industry are looking forward to it, but it’s not something we can lead … but I believe it will change in the future.”
As for the suggestion that if the six concessionaires succeed in obtaining a new gambling concession, they will then proceed to lay off employees, Leong said, “Layoffs? It depends on each company’s policy. But have we laid off any staff in the past two years since the outbreak? Have there been any layoffs at the six gaming companies?”
