Authorities in Macau have reportedly ordered Melco Resorts and Entertainment Limited to halt construction of a fifth hotel tower for the development of the dream city of Macau after the fatal accident last Friday.
According to a report by GGRAcia, the request from the Bureau of Labor came after a 33-year-old construction worker from mainland China was killed on the 30th floor of the development after being hit by a steel beam about 33 feet away.
The Labor Department said in a statement, “The Labor Administration immediately suspended all work at the construction site to protect the safety of other workers and instructed the contractor to immediately review the current industrial health and safety procedures and submit a detailed investigation report.”
GGRAcia reported in an official statement that the construction of a $1 billion hotel tower could only be resumed if the Labor Department approves it, but did not explain how long the process would take.
Designed by Iraqi-born architect Zaha Hadid, the upcoming City of Dreams hotel tower was named Morpheus and was scheduled to open in April 2018, offering about 780 rooms along with suites, duplex villas, and “Sky Villas.” The high-speed elevator will transport visitors to the observation deck, which will feature views of the interior atrium.
GGRAcia reported the latest gaming-related incident in Macau since a worker was killed last month at Grand Lisboa Palace under construction by SJM Holdings Limited. Angela Leung-on-K, managing director of the casino operating company, reportedly confirmed over the weekend that all work on the 2,000-room plan remained suspended and that she could not confirm when efforts to complete the $4.6 billion project would resume.
The Morpheus incident reportedly prompted the Labor Department to conduct quick inspections at 74 construction sites across the former Portuguese enclave, 20 of which were partially or completely closed until improved safety measures were introduced. MGM China Holdings Limited, a local subsidiary of U.S. casino giant MGM Resorts International, declared on Monday that its $3.1 billion MGM Kotai development work had not been affected by recent inspections, but officials did not specify the affected site.