Macau reveals location for future casinos

The city government has revealed its new urban masterplan dedicating 13% of the city to tourism and leisure.

Macau.- The SAR government has released its new urban masterplan through which it expects to make the city a world-leading travel and leisure centre by 2040.

Under the plan, the SAR will be divided into clearly defined areas for residential, tourism, green leisure, industrial, and diversified industries.

The area for public infrastructure and residential purposes will be the largest, occupying 23 and 22 per cent of the city respectively.

They will be followed in size by the ecological conservation areas, covering 18 per cent of the territory.

The tourism and entertainment industries will have a 13 per cent share of land use, divided between Cotai and the NAPE/ZAPE area.

Director for urban planning at the Land, Public Works and Transport Bureau (DSSOPT), Mak Tat Io, said future casinos will have to be located in that area.

He said: “Casinos will be maintained in the tourism and entertainment areas, obviously with some flexibility, but most will be in these areas.”

Key goals in the plan are the development of coastal areas to maximise leisure and green areas and the preservation of the natural landscape and the local cultural identity.

A 60-day public consultation on the new urban development plan will begin today (September 4)