Taller structure would obscure Sands Macao
Macau Legend Development Ltd.’s planned Legendale Hotel, to be built at Macau Fisherman’s Wharf adjacent to Sands Macao, must reduce its planned height from 90 meters (295 feet) high to 60 meters (197 feet), according to a report in GGRAsia.
“We’ve previously seen media reports and public discussion over the height of this project—on whether it should be restricted at 60 meters or 90 meters,” said Melinda Chan Mei Yi, president of Macau Fisherman’s Wharf International Investment Ltd. and wife of Macau Legend group Co-chairman and Chief Executive David Chow Kam Fai. “Now that I’m presiding over this company, I’ll target the hotel to be constructed at the height of 60 meters when we are to resubmit the bid.”
In its 2017 interim results released in August, Macau Legend said the plan for Legendale was undergoing redesign “to meet the height requirements of the relevant government authority in Macau.” But at 90 meters, the structure would have largely obscured Sands Macao from viewers looking at it from across the waterfront.
“My view is that setting the height as 60 meters should be adequate,” Chan told reporters. “In order to relieve people’s concerns over how the project affects the city’s vista, I’ll say let’s keep the height as 60 meters for the project and apply for it.”
Chan, a former Macau legislator, also expressed hope that the Legendale Hotel would be allowed to host a casino.
“Gaming is, after all, the foundation for Macau Fisherman’s Wharf. We have that at the Babylon Casino and Legend Palace,” she said. “Of course I hope to see gaming to be featured” at the Legendale Hotel.
Chan said currently her company is working on ways to attract more visitors to Macau Fisherman’s Wharf by increasing the frequency of events there and improving the shopping available there.
“Previously we started a night market scheme here and in the coming 12 months, we expect that we can host at least one event every two months, so that we can see increased footfall,” Chan stated. “We’ve taken back some shop spaces, and we’ll re-lease them to new tenants in the hope of bringing out some new retail concepts.”
