The palatial Portuguese-style shopping complex Legend Ponto Square will debut this fall to immediately benefit from a tunnel to Hengqin Port that is to be completed in August.

The tunnel will serve 10 million visitors annually, according to forecasts announced at a press conference on March 1. The nearby Guangzhou-Zhuhai MRT Hengqin Station will also soon bring in even more shoppers.

Located at 68 East Ring (Huandao) Road directly across from Hengqin Port (200 m or 219 yds) and near the University of Macau, Legend Ponto Square covers 30,000 sq m (7.4 acres). It is surrounded by residential buildings, offices, and retail shops, promising high pedestrian flow, and is served by an outstanding transportation network.

Ground was broken in 2014 on what would become Hengqin's first large-scale shopping complex. The shopping mall will soon start selling popular products from the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. Well-known goods from 11 cities will be retailed in the main building on a long-term basis, as will products from Portuguese- and other romance language-speaking countries.

The square features a fusion of Chinese and western cultures, and integrates retail, entertainment, catering, and shopping facilities. Chen Meiyi, an investor from Macao, has been quoted as saying, "I want to create a shopping area with European culture and lifestyle, where you can also visit galleries and enjoy cuisine from all over the world at a fair price."

Legend Ponto Square 

Architecturally, the shopping mall is rich in exotic elements and has the touch of a magnificent palace detailed with classic European-style arcades.

Costing 1.6 billion yuan ($239 million), the complex is to be managed by Macao-incorporated Lai Ieng Investment. Hong Kong-listed Macau Legend Development bought a 21.5-percent stake from Lai Ieng on Feb 27. Macau Legend said in its filing that it will offer over 300 shops.

Arcades [Photos courtesy WeChat ID: zhtqb12345]