Adele said no to $200m in Macau, but MGM Cotai hopes to wow with ‘Macau 2049’ show
Macau 2049 celebrates the 1999 handover of the then Portuguese colony to the PRC. The show is part of MGM’s commitment to invest in more non-gaming attractions.
It will take the stage on 15 December at MGM Cotai, sister property of MGM Macau. The show is part of the company’s commitment to introduce more non-gaming and culturally relevant attractions in the city.
Tickets go on sale on 2 November.
Celebrating anniversary of Macau handover
Now a Chinese special administrative region (SAR), Macau will rejoin the PRC in 2049.
In comments to US entertainment weekly Variety, an MGM spokesperson said the spectacular is “a grand tribute to the 75th anniversary of the founding of the PRC and the 25th anniversary of Macau’s return to the motherland”. It is also “a catalyst to propel the city’s cultural and entertainment sectors towards new heights”.
The show was designed to “further foster the development of Macau as a ‘City of Performing Arts’… and promote Chinese culture to the world”.
The show at the 2,000-seat, high-tech MGM Theatre will “re-interpret traditional Chinese culture from a contemporary perspective”.
Pansy Ho: “A milestone in cultural tourism”
The show is directed by noted filmmaker Zhang Yimou, known for movies like Raise the Red Lantern and Full River Red. Zhang also directed the opening and closing ceremonies of two Beijing Olympics, in summer 2008 and winter 2022.
Zhang said Macau 2049 will “harness technology and innovation to bolster Chinese cultural confidence and captivate global audiences with China’s cultural prowess”.
Pansy Ho, chairwoman and executive director of MGM China, called the production a “milestone in cultural tourism… as the city enters a new era of ‘1+4’ diversified development.”
Her comment was a reference to Macau’s Plan for Economic Diversification. The five-year market-led strategy was created to develop Macau as a Centre of World Tourism and Leisure by 2028.
The plan also includes the development of four new industries. They include big health, finance and technology. The fourth category includes culture, sports and MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions).
New chief executive calls for more residencies
According to the South China Morning Post, Macau’s incoming chief executive, Sam Hou Fai, has asked casino concessionaires to invest in more entertainment residencies to help boost tourism.
“A renowned UK artist was offered around $200 million for a half-year residency but declined,” said Sam, in an apparent reference to singer Adele. “We must continue to pursue opportunities like this for sustained operations.”
The former judge, elected on 13 October, will succeed current CE Ho Iat Seng in December.
Meanwhile, Melco Resorts and Entertainment’s splashy House of Dancing Water, a water-based stage production, will return to City of Dreams Macau later this year.
The world’s largest water extravaganza ran from September 2010 to June 2020, then closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. As reported by the Macao News, more than six million people saw the production during its initial run.