Inside Asian Gaming

May 2016 inside asian gaming 13 Cover Story Melco Crown in 2011. Now, again drawing on its Media Asia Group entertainment division’s expertise in film, television and music production, Lai Fung is building Creative Cultural City in Hengqin, an estimated HK$22 billion (US$2.8 billion) joint investment by its Lai Fung Holdings and eSun arms, including attractions, performances and production facilities. In November, Lai Fung put more flesh on the project, announcing deals for an “Immersive Experience Center” frommovie producer Lionsgate – think Hunger Games , The Divergent , and Now You See Me – and, separately, a National Geographic family entertainment center. NON-GAMING BETS Galaxy is the only Macau gaming concessionaire with a confirmed site on Hengqin, though insiders say all six have shown interest in putting non-gaming facilities on the island. Galaxy’s site on Hengqin west coast, farthest from Macau, near an area famous for oyster beds, is away from proposed train lines and reached via a road tunneled through the mountains in the center of Hengqin. Galaxy’s 2015 annual report released last month states, “GEG continues to advance its conceptual plans to develop a world class destination resort on a 2.7 square kilometer land parcel on Hengqin. The low rise, low density resort will complement the Group’s high energy properties located in Macau.” The property is envisioned as a tropical island style resort, highlighting water sports and other outdoor leisure activities. Preliminary work on the site began last year, and Galaxy Deputy Chairman Francis Lui has indicated the resort would take seven to eight years to complete, no cost estimate given. Last year, he told local media, “Hengqin is a place that Macau people should cherish as its future law, tax as well as culture will be similar to those in Macau. [Hengqin] will offer more opportunities for development, which young people in Macau should grab.” Galaxy did not respond to inquiries from Inside Asian Gaming about the Hengqin project or its decision announced in March to construct a theme park style The WTA Elite Trophy Tournament debuted at the Hengqin Tennis Center last November. liberalization. “In Hengqin, we will not have gaming,” Senior Partner Pedro Cortes says. “But we will have creative industries, Portuguese- speaking countries’ showrooms, mainland entities wishing to expand their business. In other words, we will have a true platform for internationalization, both for Chinese entities to expand overseas and for non-nationals to invest in China.” As soon as next month, Rato, Ling, Lei & Cortes will become the first Macau law firm to practice in mainland China under the Pilot Measures for the Operation of Joint Law Firms enacted by authorities to cover Hong Kong, Macau and three Guangdong Province test “In Hengqin, we will not have gaming … But we will have creative industries, Portuguese-speaking countries’ showrooms, mainland entities wishing to expand their business. In other words, we will have a true platform for internationalization, both for Chinese entities to expand overseas and for non- nationals to invest in China.” districts, including Hengqin. With Zhong Yin Law Firm from Beijing and Fongs fromHong Kong, the Macau group, also known as Lektou, will open ZLF Law Office with 50 employees, including lawyers from the three jurisdictions, on Hengqin, just behind the University of Macau campus. “The Hengqin office’s focus will be banking and financing, construction and intellectual property, but we define the joint venture as a general business law firm,” Mr Cortes, who earned his law degree from the Catholic University of Portugal in 2000, says. “We see it as a corollary of our Macau practice and, of course, a “The tales I have heard about how Dad will leave his family to frolic over at Chimelong whilst he pops over for a couple of days [in Macau] to play is sheer pipedream: a) he still needs a visa; and b) once he has been and returns to Hengqin, he has used up his visa.” >>