The Macau Government has officially reclaimed the land leased to the Macau Jockey’s Club (MJC). The land, covering an area of 363,192 square metres, used to house MJC’s horseracing course.
As quoted from news in Macau, which cited sources from the Official Gazette, the MJC had leased this land since 31 December 1995.
The lease had been renewed several times, most recently as a 24-year concession set to run until 31 August 2042. However, in January, the Government announced that the MJC’s concession would end on 1 April 2024.
Secretary for Transport and Public Works, Raimundo do Rosário, reclaimed the land after the concession ended. The land, all 363,192 square metres of it, is now classified as state property and the MJC will not receive any compensation for the termination.
There has been no decision yet on the future use of said reclaimed land. Chief Executive Ho Iat Seng stated in an April Legislative Assembly meeting that any development on the land would likely take "eight to 10 years" and confirmed it would not be used for gambling activities.
The MJC, operated by the Macau Horse Race Co. since 1989, has faced financial difficulties for several years, with its situation worsening recently. The termination of the horseracing concession officially took effect on 1 April 2024.
