In Macau, the government has reportedly announced that it is considering transforming the Macau Yat Yuen Canidrome Club into a cultural, leisure, sports and education facility once the long-running greyhound racing venue closes next year.

According to a report from Asia Gaming Brief, July saw the government for the former Portuguese enclave mandate that Asia’s only greyhound racing facility must close or relocate by July 21 of next year. The order was in reaction to continued protests from animal rights activists alongside a slide in business that saw the venue report an annual profit for 2015 of only $600,000, which was 82% less than for the previous twelve months.

Facing this ultimatum, Macau Yat Yuen Canidrome, which has been running races at its current site in the northern parish of Nossa Senhora De Fatima since 1963, reportedly stated that it is still hoping to continue operations elsewhere but has yet to conclude a final plan for its future.

“The government’s basic direction is to develop the related land plot to improve the quality of life in the neighbourhood,” Paulo Martins Chan, Director for the Gaming Inspection And Coordination Bureau regulator, reportedly told legislator Kwan Tsui Hang during a recent enquiry into the facility. “[We are] considering modifying the land for culture and leisure, sports and education facilities after the greyhound racing track is moved from the plot.”

Chan reportedly stated in June that the government was intending to decide what to do with the Macau Yat Yuen Canidrome site before the end of 2016 while Asia Gaming Brief reported that he more recently declared that the past few years have seen officials become more aware that the area has been experiencing an increasing demand for sports facilities.