Insight | The stalling of a decision on Hotel Estoril

Paulo Barbosa

The government’s proposal to demolish the Hotel Estoril in order to create a youth center for arts education has not been well-received by all sectors of society. It was foreseeable that not all residents would agree on such a project, but the local administration seems to have a problem reaching a decision when there is no general consensus. That means that many decisions have been stalled, at least until more-or-less fabricated public consultations have been conducted to support the official decision (these are usually made prior to the consultations).
I had the opportunity to see the interior of the decrepit Hotel Estoril and its adjacent swimming pool last month, during a media visit organized by the Secretariat for Social Affairs and Culture. Here is my reflection on what I saw at the section closest to the Tap Seac Multi-sports Pavilion, which was most recently constructed: “The dance floor and bar of a club that operated there until the 90s are still visible. Adjacent to the former club, but accessible through an exterior door, is the former sauna, consisting of a maze-like set of corridors and many small rooms, all of them equipped with bathtubs. In its heyday, this was one the biggest saunas in Macau, perhaps in Asia. Now it is no more than a ruin.” (MDT, Sept 16)
The core of the building, where the hotel’s operations and main entrance were located, is in no better condition: “With a wall covered with mirrors in the lobby, and plaques with numbers providing directions to the guest rooms, one can clearly see that the place was once a hotel, although its interiors are reminiscent of a war zone.“
Last week, the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Alexis Tam, called a TDM forum to state that “a minority” of people are obstructing the development of the proposed center for arts education. “Some citizens and a minority of associations argue that the building should be completely preserved,” he said. Expressing his conviction that the majority of the population agrees with the government’s plan, Mr Tam said that authorities are willing to change their position and preserve the building if that is “the will of the residents.”
That safeguard has postponed the visit of Siza Vieira, which was initially scheduled for this month. Alexis Tam visited the renowned architect to discuss the Hotel Estoril project while he was in Portugal. Apparently, Mr Vieira was then invited to submit a proposal for the architectural project of designing the building to replace the hotel.
No one doubts the quality of Siza Vieira’s work, and it’s also clear that the hotel’s structure is close to ruins. Structural engineer Costa Antunes, who led the above-mentioned visit, has been clear about the remaining options: “I have no doubt that it would be more expensive to revamp the building. Its structure would need to be strengthened and some parts replaced. It would take much more time to complete and I don’t know if the investment will be worth it. Secondly, if we want to build appropriate places in which to host musical events, the heights of the ceilings in this building are very limiting” he said. Meanwhile, an assessment of the building’s structural integrity has been requested from the Civil Engineering Laboratory.
As the new TDM commentator Fernando Gomes rightly pointed out, the Hotel Estoril project is not very relevant and should not be a main priority for the government. There are far more pressing issues, such as housing, health, transportation and the consequences of the gaming revenue decline. And there are many other significant buildings to revamp in downtown Macau.
It is implied that the MSAR government will lack authority if it allocates too much time and too many resources to the Estoril project. In a matter like this, an informed political and technical decision should be reached with the help of experts. The illusion of consensus is contributing to the government’s lack of authority.