Beijing Imperial Palace returns hotel license to MGTO

Saturday 14th of January 2017

The owners of the Beijing Imperial Palace Hotel will be returning its hotel license to the Macau Government Tourism Office (MGTO).

According to a media release from Macau Hotel Developers Limited, owners of the Beijing Imperial Palace Hotel, it has decided to return its license to the MGTO as it doesn’t believe it will be able to complete the necessary renovation works within the scheduled timeframe.

Last year, Beijing Imperial Palace Hotel was forced into a six month temporary closure after the MGTO deemed the hotel unsafe and having committed “serious administrative irregularities.”

By September, it was reported that the hotel had yet to commence any corrective works on the property, blaming the delay on difficulties receiving documentation that would allow for the construction works to begin.

However, the developer says the delays came from the lack of approval of the work permit applications, the ones that would allow the company to begin the necessary repair work - which it was still waiting on.

“... as a result of the severe problematic irregularities caused by, and inherited from, the former management of the company… the work permit applications are still under review and pending approval. In particular, authorities have raised concerns over ownership of the hotel’s land property.”

“Considering the imminent expiration of the temporary closure period... the company is forced to return its current hotel license to MGTO,” it said.

However, it also added that it would re-apply for the hotel license “as soon as irregularities caused by Former Management are rectified, and compliance requirements are once again met.”

In a separate filing, Amax International, a majority shareholder of Greek Mythology, reiterated that it was not subject to the temporary closure imposed on the hotel.

However, it says it is in the process of assessing the potential impacts of the hotel closure on the company, and will be seeking advice from professionals to decide on the next possible appropriate actions to be taken.

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