The Macau Fisherman’s Wharf complex in the Outer Harbour plans to open a virtual games centre in conjunction with a Japanese company and a wax museum in the middle of this year, the property’s president, ex-lawmaker Melinda Chan Mei Yi, told reporters Thursday.
Chan made the remarks on the sidelines of a Chinese New Year lunch hosted by Macau Legend Development, which owns the complex.
Chan said that the VR games centre would be located in the ground-floor of the convention centre of the integrated complex, which includes hotels, two casinos, shops, a convention centre, and restaurants.
According to Chan, details of the VR games joint venture will be announced during a press conference in April. She declined to name the Japanese investor.
Chan said the wax museum was also a joint venture initiative, to be located at the Legend Boulevard of the Fisherman’s Wharf. She said the wax sculptures would represent celebrities.
Chan also said that the complex received about 18,000 visitors per day during the mainland’s recent “Golden Week” Chinese New Year holiday.
Chan, the 53-year-old wife of former lawmaker David Chow Kam Fai, also said that the project of the Fisherman’s Wharf’s fourth hotel was being redesigned, considering that the government decided to lower its maximum height from the originally planned 90 metres to 60 metres above sea level.
The Lands, Public Works and Transport Bureau (DSSORT) imposed the reduced height in line with UNESCO World Heritage requirements, namely to ensure that the view of the heritage-listed Guia Lighthouse will not be affected by high-rise construction in the area.
Chan said the hotel project would take about three or five years to be completed, adding that her company had still to decide on its number of guestrooms, restaurants and shops.
The Macau Fisherman’s Wharf, the brainchild of Chan’s husband, opened in December 2005.
Meanwhile, Chan also said that Macau Legend Development was keen to win one of the government’s gaming concessions.
While admitting that she did not know what the government was planning on the concession front, Chan said her company would try its best to get a gaming concession. She added that Macau Legend Development was a Macau company by Macau people based in Macau.
Macau Legend Development currently runs three casinos owned by SJM.
Chan husband, co-chairman of Macau Legend Development, told reporters last year that his company was interested in obtaining a gaming concession from the government.
The gaming concession of SJM and its MGM sub-concession expire next year. Macau two other gaming concessions and two other sub-concessions expire in 2022.
Current legislation allows the government to extend the concessions and sub-concession by up to 5 years.
Macau Fisherman’s Wharf International Investment is a subsidiary of Macau Legend Development.
