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Las Vegas Sands Corp. will invest at least $3.8 billion in new facilities in Macau over the next ten years as part of the renewal of its concession to operate casinos in the market.
About 92% of the planned spending will be in non-casino attractions, including meeting space, entertainment facilities and a new garden attraction, Sands said in a presentation to investors Wednesday.

Source: https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/sands-promised-3-8-billion-macau-investment-as-part-of-license-renewal-1.1874946

Galaxy Macua is making good progress, we haven't seen too much of this construction site which seems weird considering it's location!

The Executive Director of Wynn Macau, Linda Chen, has confirmed today (Dec 2021) that the gaming operator will gradually end its agreements with third-party VIP gaming promoters companies before the end of the year, a decision she considered was “conducive to the long-term and healthy development of Macau”, Chinese-language newspaper Macao Daily reported.

According to the report, Wynn’s also Chief Operating Officer and Vice-Chairman indicated that mass-market represents Wynn’s main core business, accounting for 75 per cent of its total gaming results this year, with the concessionaire focusing on developing this segment and converting VIP rooms will be converted to different “mass-market uses” and “diversified experience facilities”.

Amid the latest development of the sector, Wynn Macau – together with Sands China and Melco Resorts — was reported to be planning to close all their VIP rooms run by junkets before the end of this year.

Source: https://www.macaubusiness.com/wynn-to-convert-its-junket-operated-vip-rooms-into-mass-market-experiences-vice-chairman/

All six Macau casino operators have expressed support to the newly announced gaming law amendment bill.

MGM China, Sands China, Wynn Macau, SJM Resorts, Melco Resorts & Entertainment and Galaxy Entertainment Group issued statements this weekend welcoming and backing the Government’s announcement, which indicates a maximum of six gaming concessionaires and a concession term of up to 10 years with a possible 3-year extension under exceptional circumstances.

Source: https://www.macaubusiness.com/updated-all-gaming-operators-express-support-to-gaming-law-amendment-bill/

The first W hotel is destined for Macau...

W Macau - Studio City, a development in partnership with Melco Resorts & Entertainment, is scheduled to open in December 2022. Located on the Cotai Strip, the W Macau will be part of Studio City Phase 2, a multi-complex development that includes indoor and outdoor water parks, cineplexes and convention, event and meeting facilities.

Plans for the hotel call for 557 guestrooms (including 127 suites), a spa, a fitness center, an indoor swimming pool, and more than 3,600 square feet of event and meeting space.

Source: https://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Hotel-News/Marriott-inks-deal-for-first-W-hotel-in-Macau

The effect of the junket crack down is really starting to show.

Macau’s gaming regulator has issued an instruction to junket operators to stop offering credit to their customers and requesting that chip purchases can only be done for upfront cash. The order from Macau's Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau (DICJ) would effectively bar all junkets from providing loan services to VIP gamblers.

The notice comes following a Bloomberg report that Wynn Resorts and Melco Resorts would close their junket rooms by December 20 and December 21, respectively. ‘Some (if not all) other casino operators may also follow Wynn’s move with respect to the junket room operations,’ stated a note published by Sanford C. Bernstein.

Carlos Lobo, a Macau-based gaming consultant, said if the Macau government did make junkets stop offering credit to clients, it would mark the end of an era.

"If this is true, the junkets will have to operate as a travel agency, through activities such as receiving fees for bringing rich clients to casino operators, rather than receiving commissions from VIP gaming rooms which have been the main business model for years," he stated, as reported by Reuters.

Source: https://www.yogonet.com/international//news/2021/12/07/60507-macau-regulator-bans-junket-operators-from-offering-credit-wynn-and-melco-would-close-vip-rooms

More details on the Macau Studio City expansion

Zaha Hadid Architects has been remarkably busy lately, unveiling its Budapest proposal and the completed Infinitus Plaza within days of each other. The high-profile British firm has now taken the wraps off yet another project, which is currently under construction in China and consists of two eye-catching towers in a casino resort that are designed to mitigate their carbon footprint with sustainability features.

The Studio City Phase 2 development is located in the "Hollywood-inspired" Studio City resort in Macau and will expand its facilities. The towers are now reported to have reached their maximum height – marked by a recent topping off ceremony – though as of writing we're awaiting word from ZHA to confirm how tall they actually are. To put them into some kind of context, a similarly sized building nearby reaches a height of 152 m (almost 500 ft).

Stylistically, the towers are informed by the Art Deco-inspired architecture of the resort and have an elliptical overall form. Their interiors will host two luxury hotels with 900 rooms and suites, plus 21,000 sq m (roughly 226,000 sq ft) of retail and dining space, and 2,300 sq m (24,800 sq ft) of gaming space.

Source: https://newatlas.com/architecture/zaha-hadid-studio-city-phase-2-macau/

New rules and regulations are wiping value from foreign-invested hotels in Macau and could change the future of some of the resorts.

Authorities in the Chinese territory unveiled the biggest shock to the sector since the start of the pandemic: a sweeping proposal to increase oversight that could wrest control of the lucrative industry away from foreign shareholders.

The news wiped $20bn off the value of listed gambling operators, which include Sands China, MGM China, and Wynn Macau. An index that tracks the industry recorded its worst day on record. Industry executives and analysts were blindsided by the extent of the proposed restrictions, which could force them to impose deep changes to their business, including appointing government supervisors to enforce official policy from within. Gaming licence renewals were also not guaranteed.

Casino operators met Macau government officials on Monday, their only scheduled meeting during a 45-day consultation period on the legislation.

The meeting was called so abruptly that descendants of the late casino mogul Stanley Ho, including his daughters Pansy and Daisy who have taken over his holdings, and his son Lawrence, head of Melco Resorts in Macau, were unable to rush back to the Chinese territory in time.

Source: https://www.ft.com/content/417f2513-37b2-4900-ac36-4729df36ae1b

The first two phases of Galaxy Macau had five themed hotels. Phase 3, now under construction, will add 1,500 hotel rooms, some casino space, the 16,000 seat “Galaxy Arena” and 37,000 sq m of conference and exhibition space. Phase 4 will add 2,000 hotel rooms but little gaming area.

Under the legally-binding letter of intent signed with China Construction, work is expected to take 1,053 days – just under three years – to complete. When phases three and four are complete, the resort will double in size to 2 million sq m, making it one of the world’s largest leisure and conference destinations.

Source: https://www.globalconstructionreview.com/news/macau-casino-appoints-china-construction-contracto/

Galaxy Entertainment Group hires construction firm, flags commencement of Galaxy Macau Phase 4 development

Macau’s Galaxy Entertainment Group (GEG) has entered into a legally binding Letter of Intent with China Construction that will see the latter provide construction and related services for Galaxy Macau’s Phase 4 development at a cost of MOP$13.01 billion (US$1.63 billion).

According to information filed with the Hong Kong Stock Exchange overnight, China Construction – a subsidiary of China State Construction International Holdings Limited operating mainly in Macau – will provide “construction and related services including but not limited to management, temporary works, general facilities and attendance, application and management of labour quota; construction of basement box structure, structural carcass, link bridges; and construction and completion of all specialist work packages through nominated subcontractors/suppliers and/or direct contractors,” for Galaxy Macau Phase 4.

Source: https://www.asgam.com/index.php/2021/02/22/galaxy-entertainment-group-hires-construction-firm-flags-commencement-of-galaxy-macau-phase-4-development/

Analysts at investment bank Morgan Stanley have labelled the current price of Macau gaming stocks as too low, suggesting prices are certain to rise in late 2021 and into 2022 on capacity expansion, concession extension and rising demand from Chinese luxury consumers.

In a Friday note, Morgan Stanley’s Praveen Choudhary, Gareth Leung and Thomas Allen lower their 2021 Macau GGR estimates by 10% to MOP$189 billion (US$23.6 billion) due to travel remaining sluggish, but increase their 2022 GGR and EBITDA estimates, with EBITDA now expected to be 8% higher in 2022 than in 2019 at US$10.27 billion due to mix improvement and cost cutting during the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to Morgan Stanley, there is considerable upside potential for Macau in three key areas. They include Macau’s gaming concessions, all due to expire in mid-2022 but which the analysts expect to be extended by three years and announced in mid-2021.

Also notable is new hotel room capacity, with three major new developments due to open in 2021 by way of Grand Lisboa Palace with 1,900 rooms, Galaxy Phase 3a with 800 rooms and The Londoner Macao which partially opened in 2020.

Source: https://www.asgam.com/index.php/2021/01/11/macau-gaming-stocks-seen-gaining-value-in-2h21-as-concession-extension-new-hotel-room-supply-drives-gains/

Sands China is recreating famous London streets along with retail and dining experiences at the Macao’s Cotai Strip. Called ‘The Londoner Macao’, the development is expected to become a new destination for retail and dining experiences in the territory beside its luxury hotel network.

“The moment visitors step foot on the sunlit retail district of The Londoner Macao, they will feel transported to London’s classic shopping streets: chic boutiques at Bond Street, Mayfair and Savile Row, and quaint stores in Soho and Covent Garden,” the company said in a statement. Construction of the retail mall is already underway and will be completed next year.

Source: https://insideretail.asia/2020/12/17/countdown-begins-to-londoner-macao-opening-including-retail-strip/

If you want to travel to Macau you can now choose if you want to quarnatine at some of the newest hotels that haven't even opened to the public yet!

Hotel rooms at the Sheraton Grand Macao hotel at the city’s Sands Cotai Central casino resort, have again been allocated for Macau government use amid the city’s response to the Covid-19 emergency. A novelty is that Sheraton Grand Macao can now decide how much it will charge to those inbound to Macau and choosing to stay at the property under a compulsory 14-day medical observation period before being allowed into the community.

The hotel is operated by Sands China Ltd, a unit of United States-based casino group Las Vegas Sands Corp. Sands Cotai Central is currently being revamped and rebranded as the Londoner Macao. The use of some of the Sheraton Grand Macao’s facilities was outlined in a Monday announcement by the Macau government. The role of that portion of the hotel will take effect on December 20.

The hotel at the yet-to-open Lisboeta Macau will also be used for medical observation in Macau starting December 20, according to the local authorities. That property’s management will also be able to decide its pricing strategy for people staying at its facilities for medical observation.

The Macau government had already given an operating licence and four-star rating to the hotel portion of Lisboeta, according to an official statement published in August. In comments to local media in June last year, SJM Holdings’ chief executive, Ambrose So Shu Fai, had acknowledged the possibility of gaming being offered at Lisboeta Macau, under a so-called service agreement that would make use of SJM Holdings’ Macau gaming licence.

Source: http://www.ggrasia.com/sands-china-sheraton-lisboeta-for-macau-quarantine-use/

Gaming and tourism company Genting Hong Kong Limited has announced that its ferry cruise subsidiary, Star Cruises Asia Holding Ltd, has agreed to sell half its stake in its local subsidiary responsible for an integrated resort project in Nam Vam Lake for HK$750 million (US$96.7 million) to a company owned by local real estate businesswoman, Ao Mio Leong.

Ao is connected to real estate development company Yoho Group, which has been involved in the development of the Macau Roosevelt Hotel at the Macau Jockey Club land plot; the Yoho Twins and the Co-Tai Marina Bay project.

As previously reported by MNA, China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation had already completed the capping of the main structure of the new integrated resort Resorts World Macau, Lago 1 project at the Nam Van Lake on June 23. Genting expressed in its most recent annual report that it planned to develop a hotel and casino in the site.

Previous public development plans for the property including the construction of a 21-storey building for a five-star hotel with a gross floor area of 70,284 square meters, a parking lot of 12,080 square meters and a free area with an area of 5,581 square meters.

This is what the resort is projected to look like when finished.




Source: https://www.macaubusiness.com/resorts-world-hotel-project-being-developed-in-nam-vam-lake/ & https://www.macaubusiness.com/genting-to-sell-half-its-stake-in-local-unit-responsible-for-nam-vam-lake-integrated-resort/

Congratulations! Capping of the main structure of the Resorts World @Macau, Lago 1 Nam Van was finished on June 23.

This is the most recent news on the border I can find and it looks like it is now open from Mainland China with some restrictions.

China has loosened coronavirus-related border restrictions between Macau and the neighbouring coastal province of Guangdong, sending shares of Macau casino operators surging on hopes of a quick pickup in demand.

Guangdong authorities said late on Monday that from July 15 visitors arriving from the world’s biggest gambling hub would no longer have to undergo a 14-day quarantine. The border with mainland China has been effectively shut since late March.

“Individuals coming to Macau from outside of Guangdong would face difficulties in travel as they would likely need to stay in Guangdong for two weeks prior to traveling home, which will severely restrict visitation,” he said.

Source: https://uk.reuters.com/article/us-macau-casinos/china-eases-macau-border-restrictions-shares-in-casino-operators-jump-idUKKCN24F096

The management of Macau casino operator Galaxy Entertainment Group Ltd says the launch date for the first portion of Phase 3 of its flagship Cotai casino resort, Galaxy Macau (pictured), will now likely take place late next year, rather than in the middle of 2020 as previously flagged.

Galaxy Entertainment said previously that Phase 3 would feature 1,500 hotel rooms, some casino space, and a large-scale arena with 16,000 seats. The group has since applied to register as trademarks the names 'Galaxy Arena Macau' and 'Galaxy International Convention Center'.

The company had also stated previously that Phase 3 would have 400,000 square feet (37,161 sq metres) of space for meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE).

Galaxy Entertainment's management was quoted in a Tuesday note from brokerage Sanford C. Bernstein Ltd as saying that the 16,000-seat arena and the new MICE facility would open in late 2020 or early 2021. The new 1,500-room hotel tower was now scheduled to open in early 2021, according to Sanford Bernstein's memo.

Source: https://www.ggrasia.com/galaxy-macau-phase-3-expansion-delayed-to-late-2020/