GGRAsia – Opening of The 13 Hotel by August 31: firm

Opening of The 13 Hotel by August 31: firm

Aug 01, 2018 Newsdesk Latest News, Macau, Top of the deck

Hong Kong-listed South Shore Holdings Ltd has revised yet again the opening date for its hotel project on the Cotai-Coloane border. The company – known until late June as The 13 Holdings Ltd – is now aiming to open The 13 Hotel (pictured) by August 31, it said in a filing on Tuesday. It had previously stated July 31 as the opening date for the hotel.

“On July 23, 2018, the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) commenced the re-inspection process [of the property],” said the scheme’s promoter. “It is expected that all the required licences (namely the licences for hotel, food and beverage, health club and bar) will be granted by mid-August 2018,” it stated.

MGTO – the body responsible for authorising hotel operations in the city – told GGRAsia on Friday that it had conducted last week a “re-inspection of the facilities in The 13 Hotel”.

“The Macao Government Tourism Office is currently awaiting opinions soon to be given by the technical departments, which will be crucial to the issuance of the hotel licence,” added the tourism office on Friday.

MGTO conducted in June a first inspection of The 13 Hotel, but decided that the scheme’s promoter had to “apply for re-inspection” due to “unfinished works”.

In Tuesday’s filing, South Shore Holdings justified delaying the launch date of the hotel with the need to spend more time on preparation works for the opening, in order to “enhance the competitiveness of The 13 Hotel and to cater for the increasing sophisticated needs of the target customers”.

The hotel’s promoter however noted that the exact date for the opening would be “subject to the actual circumstances” of the licensing progress. In its Friday statement, MGTO did not provide a schedule for issuing the operating licence for The 13 Hotel.

The scheme’s backers aspire to have a casino at the property. In a February 25 filing, the firm said the casino at The 13 Hotel might only open by March 31, 2019, along with some shops at the complex.