Questions are mounting regarding the current and future status of Macau’s Greek Mythology casino.
The Macau Daily Times reported that the casino, which operates under an SJM Holdings license, closed its doors on Dec. 30 and has yet to reopen. Neither casino management nor the Macau Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau has yet to comment on the reason behind the closure.
The Times also reported that hotel employees had recently staged a number of work stoppages to protest what they claimed was several months worth of unpaid wages. The Labor Affairs Bureau managed to restore order by promising to act as mediator between staffers and hotel management but it appears these efforts may have come to naught.
Greek Mythology has a colorful history, including a dispute between the two former owners of the hotel in which the casino resides. Back when the Beijing Imperial Palace was still known as the New Century, the hotel was owned by Ng Man Sun – the boss of erstwhile junket operator Amax Holdings – and his paramour, Chen Mei Huan. In 2011, Ng temporarily (or so he thought) transferred an 80% stake in the property to Chen, a stake she chose to keep after the couple parted ways.
In 2012, the New Century was the site of a vicious attack on Ng by six unidentified men with as yet unexplained motives. Initial reports claimed Ng had been beaten with sticks and hammers while later reports claimed the men had used razors to cut tendons in Ng’s arms and legs to disable him, “albeit not for life.”
In 2013, the Macau Court of First Instance ordered the hotel to be seized as compensation for unpaid debts owed to a Macau travel agency. Prior to that seizure, Amax had engaged in a multi-year fight with Greek Mythology (Macau) Entertainment Group (GMEG), which operated 20 VIP gaming tables in Macau. Amax, which held a one-quarter stake in GMEG, had accused GMEG of refusing to submit an accurate accounting of the business.
