A report has surfaced that the Portuguese government has not approved an agreement between Macau Legend Development and the Portuguese municipality of Setubal for development of a major pier/resort area.
Macau Legend signed an agreement with Setúbal in July that would establish a new integrated resort in the Portuguese coastal city. However, a report in the Macau Daily Times says the project is now in “troubled waters,” after Portuguese news agency Lusa reported that the agreements were not recognized by the Portuguese government.
According to the reports, Portuguese Minister of the Sea, Ana Paula Vitorino said in reply to an inquiry from the country’s Parliament that no land transference has been done or even submitted to the ministry.
“The Ministry of the Sea is not aware of the existence of an agreement signed between the municipality of Setúbal and the Macau company Macau Legend,” the reply said. “The MM was informed that a file on the case, existing in the Port Administration and transferred from the previous board of directors, is summarized in an exploratory PowerPoint presentation. There is also, in possession of the Port Administration, a brochure published by the APSS (Port Authority of Setúbal and Sesimbra) and the Municipal Council of Setúbal.”
However, ministry officials said they are open to cooperation as long as the project does not interfere with the development of Setúbal’s maritime port. The proposed project has raised concerns that it will interfere with navigation in the region.
Macau Legend said in a statement to the Times that agreements signed were subjected to pre-conditions to be fulfilled by the Setubal Municipality.
“According to the ‘Heads of Agreement’ signed earlier in July, there are several pre-conditions that the Setubal parties have to deliver before the project can formally commence. We have not received any updates from Portugal yet, but we are supportive of the government authorities and our business partners in their efforts to improve tourism facilities in Setubal,” the statement said.
The project would occupy 181,000 square meters including a 94,300-square-meter marina that will serve as a pier and for other maritime purposes as well as an integrated resort with several hotels, restaurants, retail shops, apartments and other facilities, the Times said.
