Photo: Macau, the former Portuguese colony, which – like Hong Kong – has been a ”Special Administration Region (SAR)” of China since 1999, is already known as a gambler’s paradise in the Far East. This reputation will be strengthened even further.

The traditional gambling and betting passion of the Chinese contributes to the fact that the roughly 450,000 residents of Macau have achieved one of the highest incomes per capita in Asia. The billion Dollar investments in new hotel and casino resorts, as well as amusement parks, expected to boost prosperity even more. The local casino king, Stanley Ho, and the American companies, Galaxy Casinos and Wynn Resorts are currently planning to transform Asia’s gambling Mecca into a second Las Vegas. Ever since the government broke up the monopoly of Stanley Ho’s in 2002, which opened up the city’s first large casino, ”Hotel Lisboa”, in 1970, Galaxy Casinos, Wynn Resorts and Stanley Ho now share the concessions for their casino operations with their partners. Since then, new hotel and casino resorts as well as amusement parks are sprouting up everywhere. Next to the traditional gambling centre on the peninsula of Macau, the more than four square kilometre Cotai Strip, created between the islands of Coloane and Taipa, shall become a second Las Vegas and is expected to boost tourism.

On the Cotai Strip, the American Sands Corporation, a partner of the Galaxy Group, plans to finalize a huge project by 2007: the five-billion-Dollar amusement quarter ”Venetian Macau Casino Resort”. 3,000 suites, a hall for 2,000 people, more than 20 exquisite restaurants and a shopping centre with roughly 100 stores will provide the entertainment for the guests. The 1.8 billion-Dollar luxury resort ”Venetian” will be at the centre of the future Las Vegas strip of Asia, according to Sheldon G. Adelson, Owner of the Sands Corporation. As in the American version, the Piazza San Marco, the Canal Grande and the romantic gondolas will be found in Macau too. All around the ”Venetian”, other hotel complexes are being developed within the resort. The Four Seasons Group is collaborating in a hotel, and the Shangri-La has already signed two management contracts. Hilton Hotels, Marriott International and Starwood Hotel & Resorts are in negotiations with the Sands Corporation.

In August, Galaxy is opening its new renowned project ”StarWorld”. The 34-story luxury hotel is expected to set new standards in terms of design and furnishings. The ”Sky Suites”, two huge penthouse suites with all the luxurious comforts imaginable will be a particularly noble quarter. In the next five years, Galaxy Group is planning other investments as high as more than one billion USDollars for three additional hotel-casinos, both on the peninsula and in Cotai. The first of these, the ”Rio Casino Hotel” with 449 rooms, has just been opened.

With the ”Wynn Macau”, Steven Wynn is putting his faith in the peninsula of Macau itself. Across from the ”Hotel Lisboa”, he is developing a slightly smaller version of ”Wynn Las Vegas” there for 1.1 billion US-Dollars. The luxury hotelcasino ”Wynn Macau” will open its doors already in fall this year. Visitors can test their luck at 500 gambling tables and roughly 900 slot machines. Guests can relax in 600 hotel rooms and suites and six gourmet restaurants and various bars. Steven Wynn also plans to get involved in Cotai soon. He has already signalized his plans to invest in four hotels and three casinos here.

The former monopolist, Stanley Ho, is also planning new projects. At the inner harbour of Macau, the amusement park ”Ponte 16” will be built by 2007. The main attraction is a 17-story luxury hotel of the Accor Group with 420 rooms, restaurants and bars, diverse pools, a spa and wellness centre, as well as a business centre with conference rooms. Furthermore, he wants to build another real estate and casino complex by 2009 through one of his own companies, Shun Tak Holding. In cooperation with Hong Kong Land, Shun Tak Holding will invest over 515 million USDollars. The five-star hotel group, Mandarin Oriental, is also involved.

By Liane Mletzko