PRESIDENT
Golden Dragon Group
POWER SCORE: 710
POSITION LAST YEAR: 45
CLAIMS TO FAME
- Former member of Macau’s Legislative Assembly
- One of Macau’s biggest property owners
It has been a discreet year for Chan Meng Kam’s casino and hospitality business, which we suspect isn’t too far from the way he likes it.
Not that he was ever too far from the action: his Royal Dragon Hotel was used as a quarantine hotel at the height of the pandemic and his foundation donated 200,000 face masks and 12,000 bottles of disinfectant gel.
Such gestures were widely welcomed but no doubt haven’t harmed his chances of at least being in the conversation when it comes to Macau license retendering. Yep, it seems inevitable these days that Chan is among a small group of protagonists whose names are inevitably mentioned whenever talk turns to a seventh Macau casino license.
Certainly Chan’s considerable portfolio of assets and political connections are not to be ignored. One of the SAR’s wealthiest businessmen, Chan’s Golden Dragon Group operates Casino Golden Dragon, Royal Dragon and Casino Million Dragon – all of them running gaming operations under the license of SJM Holdings. It also operates Grand Dragon Casino in Taipa under Melco Resorts’ license.
Such hectic business activity may be one of the reasons why Chan Meng Kam decided to step aside from his successful political career in 2017. Nonetheless, he remains a political heavyweight in Macau whether in the Legislative Assembly or not.
For the full list of 2020 Asian Gaming Power 50 winners, click here.
