Ambassy Club
The Ambassy Club is the first private club in Shanghai since the founding of the People's Republic of China. It is located on Central Haui Hai Road (Haui Hai Zhong Lu)across from the United States Consulate, the Consulate of Iran, and near the Shanghai Library.
Although it has many local members, the Ambassy Club has a large number of American and European members. The managers are required to know English, and the televisions in the gym are often tuned to English-speaking channels, such as CNN.
The club has several restaurants, each offering a different type of cuisine. There are two upscale restaurants. One offers Japanese cuisine prepared and served in traditional methods. The other offers gourmet Chinese cuisine. There is also a café-type restaurant, which serves American and European style food, as well as snacks, desserts, pastries, and coffee. The club also has a unique “piano” bar, which has an exclusive, jazz-club feel to it. There is live music nightly, plus a selection of some of the finest liquors and cigars available in China.
The club has both an indoor and an outdoor pool. The outdoor pool has a unique waterslide, and a deck for sunbathing. A rock-climbing wall, basketball court, and children’s’ playground are also located on the grounds.
Located within The Ambassy Club is Ambassy Court, a condominium complex of three medium height buildings, and underground parking. Owners of condominiums also have membership at the club, and access to the Club’s “guest house,” where out of town guests can stay in hotel-like accommodations (complete with housekeeping) on the grounds of the club. [1]
The club’s board members are an interesting bunch, and include:
Vincent Lo, the Hong Kong business man who developed Xintiandi.
Maurice Fung, a former Minnesota restaurant owner, now current manager of the Ambassy Club and Shanghai City Center, as well as a property developer in various other parts of China.[2]
[3]
Peter Neumann, partner of the Shanghai office of the Minnesota-based law firm Faegre & Benson.[4]
Stanley Ho, the 84th richest man in the world in 2006, according to [[Forbes], and owner of eight Macau casinos.
Nora Sun, granddaughter of Sun Yat-sen, and famous Shanghai socialite. [5][6] [7]
Nina Wang, "Chairlady" of Chinachem Group, and the richest woman in Asia.
J. Norwell Coquillard, President of Cargill Investment (China) Ltd.
- ^ http://www.ambassyclub.com.cn/pageshow.aspx?id=p3x027&panelid=b3x038&language=EN
- ^ http://www.citycenter.com.cn/pageshow.aspx?id=p2x002&language=CN&panelid=B2X024
- ^ http://www.ambassyclub.com.cn/pageshow.aspx?id=p3x027&language=EN&panelid=b3x040
- ^ http://www.faegre.com/lawyer_bio.aspx?pid=10236
- ^ http://www.china.org.cn/english/NM-e/44799.htm
- ^ http://english.sina.com/life/1/2006/0619/81114.html
- ^ http://www.dvf.com/store/template.do?page=1&componentId=527