Plans for large concerts at Macao’s fledgling outdoor performance venue in March and May have sparked concerns over transport arrangements and whether the local entertainment industry has sufficient personnel.
The government is now gathering proposals from local and international performance groups for the two concerts, according to a statement issued by the Cultural Affairs Bureau (known by its Portuguese initials IC) – with the March event expected to draw a crowd of 20,000 people.
However, some in the local entertainment industry are already expressing concerns over the lack of staff to handle such large scale events.
In an interview with local media, Che Fok Sang, the chairman of promoters Chessman Entertainment, said that if Macao was to stage a concert with 20,000 to 30,000 spectators, it would need 30 to 40 percent more personnel in the relevant industries.
Che added that it was “sufficient” to offer new staff members 2 to 3 months’ worth of training, although he pointed out that a minimum of 3 to 4 months would be required “for hands-on practice.”
“If authorities could organise one to two more events for practice or simulation tests, it would be more effective for the industry to supplement and train staff,” the Che said.
[See more: Low turnout for inaugural concert at city’s new outdoor venue]
Transport is another area of concern, with Ha Chon Ieng, a member of the Islands District Community Service Advisory Committee, saying that the venue – located next to the Lisboeta on the Cotai Strip – “lacks proper pickup and drop-off points.”
Ha suggested the use of temporary roadblocks and crowd control measures during large-scale events, and the setting up of services that can quickly move concertgoers to Macao’s checkpoints, Taipa, Coloane or the peninsula after the event.
As for the number of performances that the outdoor venue will be hosting this year, the head of IC, Leong Wai Man, said there were no specific plans.
She mentioned that the focus would be on the successful staging of the events in March and May, after which the authorities would assess the situation and consider extending the venue’s year-long trial period, which began on 7 December.
The IC said that public feedback on the venue’s inaugural concert, held on 28 December, was “good” and that it had been a useful test of the venue’s facilities and foot traffic.
Public transport helped to move around 6,200 spectators during the inaugural event, accounting for around 58 percent of the total number of attendees. Buses shuttled around 3,800 people, with most heading towards the Border Gate and the Praça de Ferreira do Amara. The light rail transit (LRT) meanwhile carried some 2,400 people, most of whom boarded from the East Asian Games Station and the Cotai East Station.
