Macau Legislative Assembly (AL) member Leong Sun Iok says the failing Macau Jockey Club (MJC) could be developed into a sports and leisure destination to host not only horse racing but other athletic competitions.
According to Inside Asian Gaming, Leong told his colleagues that Macau can become a “sports city” by improving host facilities, and said MJC as a good place to start. He called on lawmakers to “make use of unused land to optimize existing sports venues and facilities, such as the Macau racecourse.”
The racecourse “occupies a large area and embodies the culture of horse racing,” he continued. “If equestrian can be developed here and the land space inside the racecourse can be utilized to provide more sports events and activities such as cycling and football, an integrated sports body can be gradually formed which will become an iconic sports and leisure destination in Macau.”
MJC won a new 24-year concession in 2018 provided it upgraded and enhanced its facilities; it also is required to settle MOP$150 million (US$18.6 million) in outstanding fees owed to the Macau government.
But data from the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau (DICJ) shows that betting turnover in the third quarter was down 63 percent compared to the same period in 2019, including a 64 percent drop in gaming revenue to just MOP$10 million (US$1.241 million).
MJC has been teetering on the brink financially, and recently proposed slashing purses due to mounting deficits. In response, jockeys and trainers threatened to strike, and the proposal was dropped.
