Macau losing international investment opportunities due to idle lands, lawmaker says

Macau is missing opportunities for investment in sports facilities from international sports federations due to the lack of defined purposes for idle land plots, lawmaker Chan Hao Weng said at the Legislative Assembly yesterday.

Chan’s statement came while addressing additional questions to an initial inquiry from lawmaker José Pereira Coutinho, which requested a definition and sought to clarify the idle land plots the government holds as land reserves yesterday.

Chan, a civil servant at the Sports Bureau, said local sports associations are losing opportunities to secure investments from international sports governing bodies, such as FIFA, for the construction of sports fields dedicated to athlete training and sports development.

For Chan, it would be best if the government designated specific spaces for this purpose and transferred them to the associations so they can develop them independently.

On the topic, the Secretary for Transport and Public Works, Raymond Tam, said he believes this solution is not viable because the land the government is releasing for this use is temporary, not permanent.

Chan stated that he disagrees with this perspective and said that if Macau is in great need for these facilities now, it is likely they will still be necessary in the future, arguing that it is best to plan some for permanent use and allow them to move forward with development and be used by local athletes and clubs.

Jockey Club land not under Tam’s management

Another land plot mentioned by Chan is the former Macau Jockey Club in Taipa. Chan noted that keeping the land plot idle is wasteful and called on the government to promptly define the space’s use, even if only temporarily or partially.

“The Jockey Club land is a big issue. It is a large parcel without a plan. When can it be open to the public? Can we use at least part of it? Maybe the large grass area can be used for some sports facilities?” Chan said.

In response, Secretary Tam noted that his secretariat cannot make any decisions regarding the former Jockey Club land plot, as it is not under the management of the transport and public works sector, and provided no further information on the matter.

The government officially reclaimed the land of the former Jockey Club racing course on April 1, 2024, following the termination of the concession. The land, covering approximately 363,192 square meters, has reverted to the state’s public domain without compensation to the former operator.

The land is reportedly part of the Macau Special Administrative Region’s land reserves, and the government has stated it will not be used for gaming activities or housing projects.

Authorities have not yet provided a clear, definitive plan for the site’s future use, noting that the overall planning process could take five to ten years.

The former Chief Executive, Ho Iat Seng, previously mentioned the possibility of developing the site into a multifunctional sports and entertainment venue, including an ice-skating rink and performance spaces. Public surveys indicate support for using the land for public leisure facilities, sports and cultural centers, and other leisure-related uses.

Coutinho calls for more clarity on idle lands

In the initial inquiry, Pereira Coutinho called on the government not only to proceed with the development of some of the land plots that have been idle for a very long time but also to provide more clarity and information to the public on the government’s intentions and projects for some of those plots.

The lawmaker suggested that the government, instead of only placing signage noting that a particular land plot is state property, should also include information on the tentative plan for development or the land’s current status, so that residents can be better informed about the different plots and areas, as well as the government’s work.

Responding to the suggestion, Tam said the information is already available on the websites of various public services, including the Public Works Bureau, but acknowledged that they may be considering adding more details to the site for some projects, particularly when there is already a clear definition and tentative timeline.

“As for the reserve lands, I need to reiterate that we have an undelegated responsibility over these lands. We need a thorough evaluation. When these lands are located within the community, we aim to use them as soon as possible, even temporarily, while the final purpose is defined. Our goal is to make use of these lands,” Tam said.

“We have 30 of these plots under preliminary study for use at the moment. I will provide more details on this at a later stage, in writing. Transparency is essential to avoid speculation,” he added.

Also questioned by Pereira Coutinho on the status of lands in debt, Tam said the government has been following up on these cases to reduce disparities and resolve conflicts as soon as possible.

The so-called “land debts” were acknowledged in the past by former Secretary Raimundo do Rosário, who said that the government has not forgotten the cases where it needs to compensate people or companies for changes that resulted in damages, noting that after the process of reclaiming idle land plots is concluded, the government would finally have enough land reserves to allow the settling of these debts.