Waterfront casinos prepare for peak typhoon season

Two waterfront casinos in Macau have fitted floodgates to their properties and introduced other protective measures to guard against typhoon-induced damage. The news, first reported by GGRAsia, comes just as the peak season for the weather phenomenon is due to begin next month.

Promoters of Legend Palace at Macau Fisherman’s Wharf and Ponte 16, which are satellite properties under the gaming license of SJM Holdings said that they had taken measures this year to limit disruptions to their business.

Both properties were affected by the passage of Typhoon Hato in 2017.

Legend Palace was forced to close for nearly four weeks due to flooding, while Ponte 16, located in the Inner Harbor area, had its gaming area flooded.

According to GGRAsia, the measures taken by Ponte 16 include the building of mechanical anti-flood barriers of more than 1 meter in height, and the relocation of electrical equipment to more elevated places. Sandbags have also been placed near the ground-floor entrance to the casino to counter possible flooding.

Meanwhile, Legend Palace’s promoter is employing its own floodgates systems and water- pumping equipment.

The news follows a few days after the city’s Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau (DICJ) met with casino operators to coordinate measures ahead of the peak typhoon season between July and September. The gaming regulator said in a statement after the meeting that the event served to discuss the contingency plans to be enforced.

During an evaluation of the events of the last two years, the DICJ took the opportunity to remind operators to conduct a regular assessment of their venues’ emergency plans, especially in cases where the venue is located in an area more likely to be affected by wind, rainfall or flooding. DB