The ownership of the Beijing Imperial Palace Hotel (formerly known as New Century Hotel) has fallen once more into dispute following local businessman Ng Man Sun, also known as Kai See Wai, stating that he still owns ‘the lawful legal title’ to use the property – which was announced last week as having been transferred to a new operator. Last Thursday, Empresa Hoteleira de Macau Lda, the registered operator of the hotel property, announced in a notice in Chinese language newspaper Macao Daily that it had transferred the ownership of the hotel property to a company named Victory Success Holdings Limited on October 22, 2015.The notice indicates the deal is in the form of a settlement in lieu of debt. Nevertheless, Mr. Ng, who acquired Empresa Hoteleria in 1996 and is the founder of Greek Mythology Casino inside the property, said that the transfer announcement was made by Victory Success and was trying to ‘influence’ the outcome of a lawsuit he is fighting over the company, according to his notice posted in Portuguese language newspaper Jornal Tribuna de Macau on Tuesday and yesterday. ‘There is a legal action brought by Mr. Ng Man Sun against Victory Success Holdings Limited in the [Court of First Instance] wherein Mr. Ng Man Sun requests the reversion or nullity of the transfer of the property,’ the statement reads. ‘These proceedings are pending decision and the announcement made by Victory Success Holdings Limited is an attempt to influence the outcome,’ it added. Not the first time In 2012, Mr. Ng fell out with his former girlfriend Chen Mei Huan over the ownership of the hotel and the Greek Mythology Casino. Ms. Chen claimed at that time she owned 80 per cent of the property, whilst Mr. Ng told a court in the British Virgin Islands – where the parent company of Empresa Hoteleira Peckson Ltd. is registered – that the transfer of shares to Ms. Chen in 2011 was just temporary. In his statement in the Portuguese language newspaper this week, the local businessman also claimed the transfer of the property ‘is in violation of a decision of the courts of the British Virgin Islands’ The city’s Court of First Instance ordered in 2013 the seizure of the then New Century Hotel in lieu of an undisclosed debt owed to Hoi Cheng Nga, the head of Energy Travel Agency Ltd. One month after the court order, the hotel property was renamed Imperial Palace. Currently, Mr. Ng’s Hong Kong-listed company Amax International Holdings still owns some 24.8 per cent stake in Greek Mythology Entertainment – the operator of Greek Mythology Casino that has ceased operations for renovation since the beginning of this year.
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