Macau’s Secretary for Administration and Justice made explicitly clear on Monday that horse racing in Macau was done, noting that the space currently occupied by the Macau Jockey Club would not be used for a “casino” or other “gaming” purposes.
The statement was made during a press conference detailing the Macau Jockey Club‘s closure – on April 1st of 2024, with its official race season ending on March 31st of 2024.
The Macau Jockey Club itself submitted the request to end its racing concession, according to authorities, sometime mid-2023. This flies in the face of what the government had previously stated.
In 2018, the Macau government renewed the racing license for the Macau Jockey Club for 24 years and six months, citing its contribution to Macau’s diversification of its economy. The contract for the renewal involved some MOP1.5 billion in investments.
The contract for the renewal, according to the Secretary, did not involve any indemnity clauses for its abrupt termination by either part, despite possible impacts on the public good.
The government has assured that, at least, the renovation works that the company promised on the operation have been completed. However, insiders note that the work has been merely superficial and owners have needed to financially make up for the elements that management has not provided.
Despite the reports circulating last year about the possible closure of the MJC, refuted by the government and the company at the time, involved parties were largely caught off-guard about the news of the closure. Rumors circulated that the the property would be able to continue to operate as a racing venue, under new ownership. The Secretary for Administration and Justice dispelled these rumors today.
Once the horses are transferred, by March 31st of 2024, the land will revert to the government, which is studying its possible uses. The official assured that there would not be another public tender for a horse racing concession.
The government has stated that some 289 horses could be sent to China, however they’ve left open the possibility that owners can transfer the horses elsewhere, such as Australia.
The government cites a strong drop in attendance and betting revenue as main reasons for the company choosing to submit its request to cancel its concession.
