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MACAU: With the opening of Las Vegas Sands' US$1.1 billion Four Seasons Hotel Macao on Friday, Macau gears up to take on established gambling capitals in the United States.
The launch of the hotel coincides with the one-year anniversary of another giant in the Las Vegas Sands empire – the Venetian Macao. It is also strategically located next to the luxury casino resort.
Bradley Stone, executive vice president, Las Vegas Sands Corp, said: "There are people who love the action, who want to be close by, but want a little bit more intimate and cloistered experience which the Four Seasons offers."
The Four Seasons Hotel Macao has 360 rooms and an 85,000 square-foot Plaza Casino. The complex also caters to high-end fashion, with 180 luxury stores in its shopping mall.
When it comes to the look and feel of the hotel, the Four Seasons plays on a blend of East-meets-West. The architecture and design reflect both Portuguese and Chinese influences to capture the charm of colonial Macau.
The boutique hotel was timed to open on the first-year anniversary of the Venetian, which was marked by the world premiere of Cirque du Solei's extravaganza, Zaia.
The Four Seasons Macao and the Venetian are the first two properties Las Vegas Sands has opened on the Cotai Strip – an area of reclaimed land which the developer hopes to transform into Macau's version of the Las Vegas Strip.
A US$13 billion masterplan includes a total of 14 hotels, with Las Vegas Sands collaborating with major hotel operators such as the Sheraton and St Regis.
Macau has seen a recent gaming boom since the gambling monopoly of tycoon Stanley Ho was broken up, allowing foreign operators in. For the first time, gaming revenue topped US$10 billion last year, giving US gambling capitals, Las Vegas and Atlantic City, a run for their money.
Sheldon Andleson, chairman & CEO, Las Vegas Sands Corp, said: "We're looking at close to between US$14 and US$15 billion this year. So it might exceed the (revenue of the) entire state of Nevada and the entire state of New Jersey."
Executives also brushed off concerns about a slowing economy, saying they are focused on business-related functions and corporate travel, which continue through hard times.
- CNA/so
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