Lawrence Ho Yau Lung, chairman and chief executive of international casino developer Melco Resorts & Entertainment Ltd, met with Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov of Kazakhstan, to discuss potential cooperation on tourism infrastructure projects linked to the Central Asian country’s Alatau City development.
The meeting (pictured) was disclosed in a Friday press release from the Kazakh government. The release did not mention whether the discussions had covered investment in casino projects, nor did it specify the date on which the two sides met.
“During the meeting, the prospects for cooperation in the development of Kazakhstan’s tourism infrastructure, as well as opportunities for investors to participate in the implementation of projects in Alatau City, were discussed,” the government said in a statement.
Mr Bektenov said that a new special legal regime for Alatau City would take effect on Wednesday (July 1), creating mechanisms for transparent engagement with investors, providing long-term certainty for projects and strengthening investment protections.
Alatau is presented by local authorities as a rapidly developing city located in Kazakhstan’s Almaty region. Formerly known as Zhetigen until 2024, it is being promoted as a “city of the future”. Its development master plan extends through to 2050, with the first phase of major infrastructure projects scheduled for completion by 2030.
Its so-called “Green District” is earmarked to include “gaming and entertainment industries, targeting tourists from within a five-hour flight radius”, according to official materials. Plans also include building a Formula 1 racetrack.
The Kazakh government’s release quoted Mr Ho as saying that Melco Resorts was interested in exploring joint projects, pointing to Kazakhstan’s potential as a growing tourism market in the region.
The two sides reaffirmed their intention to deepen cooperation and advance the development of modern tourism and infrastructure facilities, the document added.
Casino gambling is legal in selected areas of Kazakhstan, including the Almaty region. Four particular new zones for foreigner-only legal gambling were mentioned in a March update by Kazinform International News Agency, a state-affiliated outlet.
U.S.-listed Melco Resorts operates casino resorts in Macau, the Philippines and Cyprus.
