Grand Prix Museum revamp to cost MOP80m more

The renovation of the Grand Prix Museum will cost a MOP80 million more than previously estimated and its re-opening will be pushed back into late 2019, the Macau Government Tourism Office (MGTO) informed last week.

In 2016, the renovation project had been priced at about MOP300 million, amounting to approximately MOP19,000 per square meter.

Now the MGTO director, Helena de Senna Fernandes, says that the project will cost a total of MOP380 million, citing a delay in the tendering process.

Speaking to TDM, the MGTO director also said that the museum revamp is likely to finish before the end of next year, an approximate 12 month delay from the original opening date.

Moreover, the museum’s new location might be slightly smaller than originally intended, meaning the exhibits might have to be cut or reworked.

In 2016, the bureau suggested the area of the Grand Prix Museum would be expanded six-fold to a total of 16,000 square meters. But Fernandes has floated the idea of downsizing the exhibition or presenting some of its exhibits in digital form, in order to save space if a larger location cannot be obtained.

As per its original plan, the museum will feature a racing vehicle display, movie theatre, wax figure display, cultural and creative zone, as well as an interactive family zone, all with the aim of raising awareness of and interest in the Grand Prix event among residents and tourists.