NagaCorp to continue with plans for Angkor Wat

NagaCorp’s chairman Tim McNally told media that the company will develop fresh plans for Angkor Wat after the Cambodian government rejected its initial proposal.

Cambodia.- NagaCorp’s chairman has revealed that the company is already working on a new plan after the Cambodian Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts vetoed the company’s plan for a resort at Angkor Wat earlier this week.

NagaCorp wanted to build a US$350m non-gaming resort at the UNESCO world heritage site, but faced opposition from UNESCO itself due to the proximity of the project to the protected buffer zones of the site and “the scale, scope, and concept of the planned activities.”

Taking those concerns into consideration, the Cambodian government’s International Coordinating Committee for Angkor (ICC-Angkor) said the plan could not go ahead.

However, NagaCorp chairman Tim McNally told GGRAsia: “We have already acknowledged the prior concerns expressed by UNESCO. As a result we will continue to develop fresh plans that are acceptable to achieve the objective of creating tourism venues and at the same time respecting the historical and spiritual wonder of the Angkor Wat site.”

He added: “We listen carefully and particularly and coordinate closely with key representatives of the government of Cambodia. Although I cannot provide a timetable at this time I can assure you we will continue to develop an acceptable plan for this area that will accommodate and promote tourism in the best interest of the country.

“Our goal is to enhance and maximise tourism as a growth business sector and promote and complement the World Heritage site Angkor Wat.”