Underlying Macau’s move from a dragging and slow economy at the turn of the 21st century, the liberalization of gambling has fostered a staggering wave of economic growth and ‘overdevelopment.’ While engendering higher incomes and a situation of full employment, strong market forces tied to the gambling and tourism industries have also triggered rising living costs and the intensification of mass tourism, transforming the social and spatial experiences of the city. As Macau’s economy gained momentum and people’s take about the city’s future shifted from enthusiasm to scepticism and disquiet, residents have engaged in different responses to show their discontent, to contest, or simply attempt to counter gambling’s hegemonic power over Macau’s economy and society. In this process, heritage became an important locus of popular and local agency and for a commitment for the creation of a different image and experience of Macau, away from gambling and closer to people’s perceptions and understanding of their own city. Drawing on ethnographic work, this talk will describe and examine some of these reactions as Macau residents gained a new insight from their collective experiences and became gradually involved in the cultural process of heritage-making.