A majority of respondents in a survey commissioned by the Office of the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture said they support a Government proposal to demolish and redevelop the former Estoril Hotel into recreational and sports facilities for young people. Specialist firm e-Research & Solutions (Macau) Co., Ltd. conducted the telephone survey from 14 October to 10 November 2015. The firm used random-sample telephone interviews and received valid responses from 2,003 Macao residents. About 68.6 percent of those showed their support for the redevelopment plan of the former Estoril Hotel building and the adjacent swimming pool. The details of the survey results were released in a press conference on Monday (11 January) attended by the Chief of Office of the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Mr Ip Peng Kin; Consultant to the Office of the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Ms Olivia Lam; and e-Research & Solutions (Macau) Research Director, Mr Angus W. H. Cheong. Mr Cheong said that about 75 percent of respondents were aware of the issue relating to the former Estoril Hotel and were also aware of the Government’s plan to revamp the area. The majority of respondents showed their support for transforming the site into a recreational and sports area for young people, said Mr Cheong. In addition to the phone survey, the firm also analysed opinions from the public on this topic. The opinions collected dated back to April 2015, when the Government first presented its proposal to redevelop the former Estoril Hotel building, including moving the Macao Conservatory there. Those opinions were collected through several channels, namely: 16 consultation sessions attended by representatives from several interest groups, including from cultural heritage, youth and culture groups; two public sessions; written suggestions submitted by different groups; radio and television shows; and an online survey conducted from 22 July to 20 September 2015. About 82.7 percent of the 818 submissions were favourable to the redevelopment of the Estoril Hotel building. Opinions collected that were against the project amounted to less than 10 percent of the total, while about 7.5 percent of the respondents did not have a clear opinion on the matter. The third-party conducted survey and opinion analysis would serve as a major reference point for the Government in drafting the final redevelopment plan for the former Estoril Hotel, said Mr Ip Peng Kin. The former Estoril Hotel building is located in the city’s planned cultural district. It is surrounded by cultural heritage attractions, schools, a library, museums and a sports complex.
