Macau Daily Times
The plots 7 and 8 in Cotai will not be granted to either gaming operators SJM Holdings or Sands China, Land, Public Works and Transport Bureau (DSSOPT) director Jaime Carion told local media on Thursday.
“We will not grant plots 7 and 8 to SJM. We also won’t approve the plots to Sands,” he stressed.
The Government has decided to keep the two sites as land reserve and there are no plans for its development, the official added. “We have not yet reached any decision for plots 7 and 8 in Cotai.”
Carion said DSSOPT has already informed SJM that its application was not approved. “We have sent the letters,” he confirmed. The DSSOPT director did not specify when he had issued the formal notification. Two weeks ago Sands China said it received a letter from the MSAR Administration stating that its application for parcels 7 and 8 “has not been approved,” although the company has already invested round USD 162 million [MOP 1.29 billion] in the area.
Earlier this week, secretary for Economy and Finance, Francis Tam Pak Yuen said Sands China’s application had been submitted after a freeze on gaming land concession was announced back in 2008.
On Thursday, The DSSOPT director declined to comment on Cotai land applications put forward by other gaming operators. “We will make an announcement at a suitable time if any decision is made,” he said.
However, a source from the Government told Macau Daily Times yesterday that no formal request had been received from SJM for the concession of plots 7 and 8, aside from the company stating its interest in both sites.
SJM chief executive officer, Ambrose So, spoke about the operator’s interest in plots 7 and 8 three months ago. At the time, So said that SJM had sent a letter to the Government stating the company’s interest on both plots “if they become available”.
Yesterday, Ambrose So reaffirmed that SJM “had expressed interest in parcels 7 and 8,” but did not confirm if the company had submitted a formal application.
“The ultimate disposition of them [plots 7, 8] is of course subject to Government policy,” So told Macau Daily Times.
A source quoted by Dow Jones Newswires said SJM is likely to be awarded another plot of land on Cotai, next to the Macau Dome, in the first quarter of 2011. The casino operator has already confirmed that it applied for a 70,000 square-metre plot.
Back in September, Ambrose So said he expected more plots to be officially granted to MGM Macau, Wynn Macau and SJM by the end of this year.
“Currently we are proceeding with our application for a plot of land on Cotai adjacent to the sports ground,” So said yesterday.
