Macau Canidrome: Relocate or shut down, says govt

Thursday 21st of July 2016

The government has given Macau (Yat Yuen) Canidrome until July 21, 2018 to relocate if it wants to continue running the dog racing operations.

Speaking to reporters, Secretary for Economy and Finance, Leong Vai Tac said, should the company want to continue running the dog racing business, it would need to comply with urban planning rules in general and, in particular, would need to avoid creating any negative effect on local people’s livelihoods.

Macau Yat Yuen Canidrome, the region’s only greyhound race track saw a decline in profits of 82 percent to MOP 4.8 million (US$600,600) in 2015, according to the company’s year-end financial report.

The results represent a steep drop compared to its annual profit of MOP 26.7 million in 2014.

Earlier this month, locals and experts called for the closure of Macau Canidrome, saying it is out-dated and unprofitable.

Leong said the government will closely monitor the Canidrome’s existing dog racing business, taking into consideration matters such as how racing dogs were kept and how races were managed.

The current concession of Macau (Yat Yuen) Canidrome will expire at the end of the calendar year.

Racing Relocation Shut down