Ministry of Culture voices disapproval for proposed NagaCorp Angkor resort project

via Phnom Penh Post, 23 March 2021: The Ministry of Culture officialy voices its disapproval for the proposed project by NagaCorp to build a giant integrated resort near Angkor. The project raised disquiet when it was first raised last year (see here and here). The Phnom Penh’s Post article writes as if Cambodia has officially shelved the project, but I am not sure if this is the case at this time.

Cambodia put a halt to plans for a $350 million non-gaming integrated resort (IR) in Siem Reap province dubbed “Angkor Lake of Wonder” (ALOW), to be developed by Hong Kong-listed NagaCorp Ltd (Naga), the parent company of local casino operator NagaWorld Ltd.

Naga had announced plans on November 15 to develop the IR – an industry term used to describe a large-scale resort complex that comprises tourism and conference amenities and often features casinos and other gaming facilities.

After discussion at the 27th Plenary Session of the International Coordinating Committee for Angkor (ICC-Angkor) on January 27 and two subsequent special sessions on February 22 and March 4, a team at ICC-Angkor found that ALOW “cannot be implemented in this context”, according to an announcement form the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts on March 23.

The ministry did not elaborate, but noted that it “shares the views of ICC-Angkor”.

Source: Kingdom stops plans for Naga’s integrated resort | Phnom Penh Post