Pansy Ho out to restore some of Macau’s lost elegance with art going on show at new MGM Cotai casino resort
Interior design of Cotai resort opening this year will incorporate an eclectic collection of art, including newly commissioned works – part of efforts, Ho says, to promote Macau’s ‘more spiritual aspects’
MGM Cotai, the HK$24 billion casino resort that opens its doors in the second half of this year, will be more than a mere palace of easy-come, easy-go wealth thanks to its acquisition of a large art collection – one which, according to the woman driving it, will help forge a more sophisticated image of Macau.
The collection, overseen by MGM co-chairman Pansy Ho Chiu-king, comprises 300 works, among them 28 rare Qing dynasty imperial carpets and a commissioned collage called Eight Views of Macau by Chinese artist Xue Song.
Ho, with a personal fortune of US$4.2 billion according to Forbes’ rich list, is a seasoned collector and high-profile supporter of the arts. A daughter of gaming tycoon Stanley Ho Hung-sun, she has also been heavily involved in the large art gallery inside MGM Macau – the first casino she opened as a joint venture with New York-listed MGM Mirage – which has shown works by Botticelli and Degas.
The design of the new Cotai property reflects the colour scheme and stacked look of the sister resort in mainland Macau, but is much bigger, with 4 million sq ft of floor space and 1,400 rooms, compared to 600 at MGM Macau. Unlike the latter, which has a dedicated art gallery, MGM Cotai will present the art as part of the property’s decor.
