Ron Lam requests clarity on venue’s event approvals and management

The outdoor performance area in Cotai, which cost in excess of MOP85 million and opened last year, has received commentary over its limited operation and unmet expectations after hosting only two events in eight months. Lawmaker Ron Lam has formally requested a comprehensive explanation from authorities on the venue’s performance, future plans, and operational timelines.

According to the Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC), the outdoor performance area covers 94,000 square meters and is designed to accommodate over 50,000 spectators. The venue was designed to host large-scale outdoor cultural festivals and performing arts events, with the goal of enriching Macau’s cultural and tourism offerings and establishing the city as a “City of Performing Arts.”

However, since its completion last year, only two major events have been held: an IC-hosted concert on December 28, 2024, and a privately organized music event in June 2025, each drawing about 11,000 attendees.

The June event initially anticipated a turnout of 20,000 but fell short, attracting just 11,000.

Highlighting the venue’s underuse, Lam’s inquiry points to multiple event cancellations, including the widely publicized Songkran Music Festival (S2O), which was scheduled for September 6 and 7 but was cancelled just over a month after its public announcement.

The IC stated that the event’s organizers, including the Australia-based Box Live and the Macau Cultural Promotion Association, voluntarily withdrew their rental application on July 25. The late cancellation made it effectively impossible to find a replacement event for the venue in early September.

At a July 29 meeting of the Consultative Committee for Cultural Development, IC confirmed the venue had secured rentals for late September, late October, and December 2025 and was still accepting applications.

Deland Leong, IC president, acknowledged the ongoing trial period: “The trial run might extend beyond one year. We don’t know for sure yet. We are currently studying this matter.” She added, “This space was created to address an existing need in Macau for an outdoor area that could support several kinds of large-scale events and performances, and we hope it can deliver the expected results.”

30 event applications submitted, only two events held

Lam’s inquiry highlighted that approximately 30 event applications were submitted and has called for detailed explanations of the approval criteria, event requirements, and whether the IC has provided clear guidance and assistance to applicants. “In order to better assist the industry in preparing for the event, especially for overseas (events) teams, will the authorities arrange a dedicated team to assist applicants in completing all the application procedures of various departments, or provide one-stop services?”

He drew comparisons with Hong Kong’s Kai Tak Sports Park, which opened on March 1, 2025, and completed its testing phase in just four months.

Since then, the venue has successfully hosted numerous large-scale events, including the Hong Kong Sevens and a series of concerts by Coldplay. The 2025 Hong Kong Sevens attracted over 110,000 attendees throughout the weekend, with 38,352 spectators on the final day. And in April, Coldplay performed four consecutive concerts at the stadium as part of their Music of the Spheres World Tour, attracting a total crowd of around 200,000.

In the first three months after opening, Kai Tak welcomed approximately 590,000 concertgoers, with more than half coming from outside Hong Kong. The Hong Kong government also states that it expects up to 3.9 million spectators, including 1.4 million tourists, to attend nearly 300 large-scale pop concerts there by mid-2025

In contrast, the inquiry highlights, “it has been eight months since the opening of the Macau Outdoor Performance Area, during which only two events with 11,000 spectators each, is it in line with the normal expectations and testing plans of the authorities?”

The Lawmaker also raised questions regarding the overall timeline, objectives, and steps planned to reach the venue’s full capacity of 50,000 attendees.

Lam also expressed concerns about the venue’s long-term management. While authorities have mentioned a preliminary plan to outsource operations, they have provided few details – only saying the outsourcing would be handled “in a more open way.” In response, Lam has requested clearer information on how responsibilities will be shared between the government and any management company, what the future operating model will look like, and the current progress of the outsourcing plans.