MGTO may permanently shut down Beijing Imperial Palace

By
Kam Leong

Director of Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes said the government might consider permanently closing Beijing Imperial Palace Hotel given the operator has not conducted any work correcting its irregularities which led to its forced closure.
Last July, the Office ordered the hotel property to be shut down for half a year as it had committed serious administrative irregularities and failed to conduct essential fire safety measures.
Speaking to reporters last Friday, the MGTO Director announced that the Office had still not received any application from the hotel for renovation works, adding that the authorities would consider closing the hotel permanently and revoke the operator’s licence if no improvement was found after the expiration of the deadline.
The hotel management was first given approval by the tourism body to dispatch workers to conduct cleaning and maintenance works inside the venue from August 12 to November 11 last year. In December, MGTO told Business Daily that the period had been extended to January 11 at the request of the hotel operator, indicating, however, that it had received no application from the operator for the works.
Meanwhile, the Land, Public Works and Transport Bureau (DSSOPT) told Chinese language news outlet Macao Daily last week that it had received requests from the hotel operator to alter its renovation plans, saying that the Bureau was still consulting legal advisors on the plans, given the situation of the property.
Beijing Imperial Palace Hotel – formerly New Century Hotel – is the first 5-star hotel in the city to be temporarily closed by the MSAR Government.
The hotel property houses the Greek Mythology Casino, operated under the gaming licence of Sociedade de Jogos de Macau S.A. (SJM). However, the casino has also ceased operations since the beginning of last year for ‘renovation reasons’.
Following the temporary closure order of MGTO, Hong Kong-listed Amax International Holdings – which holds 24.8 per cent interest in the casino and is chaired by hotel founder Ng Man Sun – said in a filing in July that the casino could continue to operate despite the closure of the hotel, as advised by its lawyers.