Macau casino tender process to focus on non-gaming plans

Companies bidding in the new public tender will be expected to submit detailed and extensive plans for non-gaming projects.

Macau.- The Covid-19 pandemic exposed Macau’s dependence on gambling in economic terms. As a result, bidders in the gaming retender process will be expected to submit thorough non-gaming plans as part of their applications.

According to Macau Business, bids will need to include “the nature, content, amount, location and space, initial and annual investment and implementation plans, estimated economic benefit (especially the proportion of revenue from non-gaming projects in relation to the general income), and the estimate of the extension of the stay in Macau of tourists, regarding the investments of each item, explaining them in a quantifiable way for each year”.

Bidders must also describe their plans for promotional and marketing activities to raise awareness of Macau among international customers. They must submit plans for film festivals, cultural performances and carnivals while strengthening relationships with local small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

The commission also said that casino operators will be expected to develop innovative and high-tech-themed attractions similar to those being developed in neighbouring regions. This is designed to attract a variety of tourists from different age groups.

Finally, the bidding scheme requires bidders to submit plans for other projects, such as supporting technological innovation and the general technology industry.

André Cheong Weng Chon, chairman of the Macau committee, said he hopes the process can be completed this year in time for the new concessions to start on January 1, 2023. He said the committee would do all it can to ensure that the tender requirements are fair to Macau’s six existing operators and other bidders.