SUN ALWAYS SHINING ON SAIPAN
Best Sunshine International is forging ahead with its $US2bn plan to turn Saipan into the ‘Monaco of the Pacific’
Saipan - New licences
Best Sunshine International, the remaining appli- cant for a license to develop a US$2bn casino resort on Saipan, has presented its plans to the Lottery Commission and the public, which includes a 2020 grand opening for a four-phased integrated resort that it hopes will transform Saipan into “the Monaco of the Pacific,” drawing references to the oft sited Singapore casino resort model.
The first phase includes a 401-room hotel and casino and will be built in 2017-2018. The investor is required to build a total of at least 2,000 rooms. Best Sunshine is a direct wholly-owned sub- sidiary of First Natural Foods Holdings Ltd., which will be renamed Imperial Pacific International Holdings on May 20, 2014. Earlier this year, Imperial Pacific acquired certain interests in a Macau VIP gaming business with operations in various casinos in Macau including Wynn, Galaxy, MGM, and Venetian.
For decades, casino gaming in the CNMI (Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands) was authorised only on Tinian and later Rota. This changed this year when the Legislature and the Inos administration approved a bill authorising casino gaming on Saipan, citing the need for new sources of revenue to fund the government’s growing obligations, including restoration of retirees’ deferred 25 per cent pension since last year.
Best Sunshine chief operating officer Terence Tay, a former state counsel and deputy public prosecu- tor with the Attorney General’s Chambers of Singapore, commented at the meeting: “We seek approval to give us the opportunity to invest no less than $2bn in this enchanting paradise and work together to deliver a product that every gov- ernment will be proud of,” said Tay, formerly with Genting Singapore, which wholly owns Resorts World Sentosa.
Mr. Tay was part of the steering team that built the Sentosa integrated world resort as a general coun- sel and head of corporate affairs. Singapore’s Resorts World Sentosa was named “Best Integrated Resort” in 2011, 2012, and 2013 at the TTG Travel Awards, which recognises the best of Asia-Pacific’s travel industry. In his presentation, Mr. Tay said Best Sunshine will totally fund this investment. “We have no expectations of subsi- dies or contributions by your government. We do everything ourselves, with your approval of course,” he said.
Macao Gaming Show launches strategic sponsorship portfolio
MACAU Organisers of the Macao Gaming Show (MGS), which is being held across the 18th – 20th November at the Venetian Macao, have released details of the wide-rang- ing sponsorship packages which are available to organisations’ wanting to achieve enhanced branding and awareness in front of attendees which number Asia's most influential gaming thought leaders and buyers.
The 50+ branding and sponsorship opportunities, all of which are contained in the MGS Sponsorship Manual, range from conventional banner adverts situated in strate- gic high footfall locations through to exclusive sponsorship packages covering MGS's prestigious confer- ence and event programme.
Highlighting the breadth of oppor- tunities, Macao Gaming Show's Marina Wong said: "Following-on from the success of the first Macao Gaming Show, which attracted 102 exhibiting companies and close to 9,000 visitors, we were asked by our exhibitors to develop a wide range of sponsorship options for them to select from. Offering great exposure to both Asia and the world, there are a number of impactful sponsorship opportuni- ties available ranging from banner advertising to lanyards and show bags, MGS website marketing and event guide advertising.
“There are also a number of high visibility options available such as floor panels, light boxes, structural banners, pillar wraps and registra- tion booth panels, which are the first points of contact for visitors.”
Philippines Philippine property developer Ayala Land has partnered with Bloomberry Resorts to operate a mall at Bloomberry’s US$1.2bn Solaire complex, Manila’s newest gaming hub, to be opened later this year. “The retail component will have premium brands to complete the offering of Solaire Resort & Casino,” Ayala Land said, without disclosing financial terms of the deal. Ayala said it would lease and market an area of more than 5,000sq.m. at the Solaire Resort & Casino, to be opened at Entertainment City along Manila Bay. Solaire’s first phase opened in March last year and expansion is under way.
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SRI LANKA – CROWN GETS GO-AHEAD IN COLOMBO Despite splashing his name across all the tabloids thanks to a punch-up with best mate, David Gyngell, James Packer received some positive news last week with the Sri Lankan government saying it will allow his planned US$400m mixed-use resort development in Colombo to operate as a casino.
Government spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella said that casinos will be restricted to D.R. Wijewardena Mawatha, the area in Colombo where Mr Packer’s Crown has planned the hotel in partnership with partner, Ravi Wijeratne.
Mr Wijeratne’s Rank Group has two casino licences and the government spokesman said the new project would be able to use an existing licence held by a local partner. “There is no legal barrier for existing casino businesses get- ting new partners. There are five licences issued and these licence holders can have one casino per licence. So there’ll be five casinos,” the spokesman was quoted as saying.
He added that there would be no new licences issued, reiter- ating the statement from the government in April, when it appeared that Crown’s plans for the Colombo development had finally been quashed.
However, Sri Lanka’s main opposition, the United National Party (UNP), has challenged the status of the existing licences.
“There are no casino licences existing in Sri Lanka. I chal- lenge Rambukwella to table these licences in the parlia- ment,” stated UNP spokesman Harsha de Silva. “Those local casino operators have only receipts for paying taxes for their casino operations. They are not licences. Still nobody knows who is issuing casino licences and who will regulate the business unlike specific licences in Singapore.”
SINGAPORE - GTECH APPOINT LIM GTECH has announced the appointment of Michael Lim as the Company’s new Casino Systems Sales Manager for the Asian region. Based in Singapore, Michael will be responsible for account development in Singapore, Vietnam and Taiwan, where his main task will be to grow these new markets and introduce
GTECH’s Casino Systems product portfolio. He will report to Lai Fatt Chiang, GTECH General Manager for Casino Systems in Asia. Michael has six years’ experience in all aspects of the gaming industry in Asia, including a position with Weike Singapore, as well as a Sales Manager role with IGT Asia.
“Over the past 24 months, we have increased our presence in Asia, and continue to do so with Michael’s appointment. As our new Sales Manager in Asia, he will focus on developing and maintaining close relationships with our customers,” said Marc Attal, GTECH General Manager Casino Systems.
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