Global Casino BOOM

At 8 p.m. this evening, Steve Wynn unveils Encore, the new signature resort in the Wynn collection. Located next door to flagship property Wynn Las Vegas, Encore is a distinct destination with its own selection of accommodations, dining and leisure activities. Central to Encore’s fanciful and intimate environments are sunlit corridors with flowering atria and sprawling pools visible from throughout the property. Natural light floods the resort to reveal gardens, vibrant butterflies and signature mosaics.

Encore’s accommodations are comprised of 2,034 spacious suites that offer casual elegance in a comfortable, residential setting. The Resort Suites span up to 700 square feet and Tower Suites measure up to 5,800 square feet. Two separate arrival and check-in areas pamper guests and showcase the textured details of Roger Thomas’ interior design.  (more…)

From the website:

The iconic resort and casino will rise 61 stories from the heart of CityCenter. Two curvilinear crystalline towers will sweep together bringing the visionary design by world-renowned architecture firm Pelli Clarke Pelli to life. The dramatic 4,000 room steel and glass ARIA Resort & Casino will dominate the Las Vegas skyline forever.

Inside, a warm and inviting environment will be created using natural elements of reclaimed wood and native sandstone.

Natural light will fill the glass enclosed corridors and illuminate the luxurious contemporary surroundings of your guestroom via floor to ceiling windows. Adjusting the setting to your personal pleasure is within the touch of a button on the advanced remote control system. Impeccable, personalized service will complement the refined amenities provided for your every need.

Options for fine dining and entertainment will be unsurpassed with a collection of restaurants, bars, lounges, a night club and the astonishing special effects and stunning acrobatics of a Cirque du Soleil performance based on the music of Elvis Presley.

Brochure is here 

Wynn Resorts (Nasdaq: WYNN) is pleased to announce that the web site for Encore, the new signature resort in the Wynn collection, has been launched at http://www.encorelasvegas.com. The site features the much-anticipated Encore television commercial directed by award-winning filmmaker Brett Ratner, best known for producing the “Rush Hour” series and “X Men” feature films. The commercial recently made its broadcast debut and is currently airing nationally on CNBC, FOX News, CNN, and Bloomberg Television, as well as regionally on numerous stations in San Diego, Phoenix, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Las Vegas.  (more…)

I guess this should not come as a surprise considering the mess Las Vegas has gotten itself into, but geez, it still gets depressing writing about the doom and gloom rather than the BOOM.  (more…)

Asian Coast Development Ltd. is close to securing a US$780 million syndicated loan for its proposed casino resort in Vietnam, Chairman Michael Aymong said.

The loan will finance the first phase of the $4.2 billion project, he said. The   Vancouver-based developer had earlier considered an initial share sale as one of its funding options and may use that as an “exit strategy,” he said.

”You will see in the next two weeks who our lenders are,” Aymong said in a phone interview Thursday. “It’s more expensive to borrow money now but if you have an exciting and interesting project, you can negotiate some of the terms and conditions.”  (more…)

I thought this article was pretty interesting.  Its about a writer’s experiences as he takes a construction job on MGM’s CityCenter construction site.  (more…)

This would be exciting - naked card dealers.  And not only would they be naked, but they’d be Penthouse dealers.  What took people so long to think of this!

Blurb:

The casino would be based on the Penthouse brand and that would mean nudity would be involved. To what extent that would happen is yet unknown.

Whether or not the Nevada Gaming Commission would even allow for nudity on the casino floor is an issue all in itself. Bell does not believe it would be a problem, however, since he is pursuing the real estate.   (more…)

Editorial hoping that Prime Minister Golding keeps his promise to bring casino legalization to Parliament before the end of November.

Quote:

Indeed, Mr Golding has noted that at least two major developments on Jamaica’s north shore are, to a substantial degree, predicated on the availability of casino gaming. One is the US$5 billion Harmony Cove resort development in Trelawny for which the selected (more…)

Nice run down of potential new Asian casino markets here.

MGM MIRAGE Hospitality and Asian Coast Development Ltd. Announce Plans to Develop MGM Grand Ho Tram Integrated Resort in Vietnam.

Collaborative project to be owned and financed by Asian Coast Development and Managed by MGM MIRAGE

MGM MIRAGE (NYSE: MGM) and Asian Coast Development Ltd. (ACDL) today announced plans to develop the MGM Grand Ho Tram — Vietnam’s first “Las Vegas style” integrated resort. ACDL will own and finance the project, and MGM MIRAGE will provide development assistance, brand equity and operate the five-star integrated resort property upon completion.

MGM Grand Ho Tram will anchor the $4.2 billion multi-property Ho Tram Strip resort complex being developed by ACDL along the pristine beaches of the South China Sea. The Ho Tram Strip is set on a 2.2 kilometer strip of white sand located in the Ba Ria Vung Tau Province of southwest Vietnam, eighty miles from Ho Chi Minh City. MGM Grand Ho Tram will be the first component of what is planned to be the largest tourism complex in Vietnam. MGM Grand Ho Tram itself will feature 1,100 rooms, a world-class gaming and entertainment facility, luxury retail, chef-driven restaurants, high-tech meeting space, live entertainment stages, stunning nightlife, destination spa services, and an exclusive VIP area, as well as a variety of beach-front recreation activities. (more…)

I noticed that  Fountain Blue Casino in Las Vegas recently updated their website for both the Las Vegas casino resort and the Miami Beach hotel.  There is some new information there (some specific and some not so specific) so it is definately worth checking out.  It looks like its going to be a real hotspot if the casino is anything like the Miami Hotel.  This past weekend the Miami Fountain Blue hotel kicked things off with a Victoria Secrets show and it was an A list of all the young Hollywood stars. (more…)

Taiwan’s Penghu Islands are closer to getting their much sought after casinos.  Looks like the plans are for three resort casinos with no plans to rival Macau in terms of size or scale.

As for timing: (more…)

Wow…how in the world did I miss these articles?  I must have been too busy watching my nest egg evaporate over the past two weeks.  Good thing I got friends like Dewet out there sending me great stuff like this:

Giant looks to tread through casino gold

Malaysia’s Giant Group is looking to build a colossal hotel, residential and recreational complex in southern Dong Thap province.

An official of Dong Thap Planning and Investment Department (DPID), said the foreign investor had proposed to locate its US$4-5 billion project in the province’s Dinh Ba border-trade economic zone.

The 200 hectare proposed initiative on the border with Cambodia, will also feature casinos -a sensitive investment field in Vietnam.

The DPID official said that casino related businesses are appraised on Vietnam’s investment criteria, which includes financial scales and selective locations.

In March this year, Canada’s Asian Coast Development won a licence to develop the US$4.23 billion Ho Tram resort with casinos in the southern tourist hub of Ba Ria Vung Tau province.   (more…)

Two videos:

Interview with Asian Coast Development CEO. (thanks Dewet)

And an introduction video that outlines what the Ho Tram Strip project is all about.  (more…)

Pilot Basis??? Ok its a start, and apparently a big start based on the numbers being thrown around.  Thanks for this article Dewet:

Phu Quoc Island off Kien Giang Province will develop a complex of tourism, entertainment, and casino services on a pilot basis there following the latest decision from the central government, an official of the island district said.

Phu Quoc Island.
The Prime Minister has just agreed to the scheme to carry out one pilot project on Phu Quoc and asked related ministries to draw up criteria to select the best investor for the complex, the official told the Daily.

“The Government has just agreed on the development of one complex of these services there,” he said.

He said that three to four big investors have shown keen interest to spend billions of US dollars in developing casino projects on Phu Quoc, not to mention numerous other small investors.

Phu Quoc Island, nearly an hour’s flying from HCMC, has a coastline of some 150 kilometers. It takes about an hour or so to fly from the 561-square-kilometer island to Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia or Singapore.  (more…)