- Macau, also known as the Las Vegas of Asia, has added yet another luxury casino resort to the Cotai Strip. And this time it’s “The Londoner Macao” with a British theme.
- From Big Ben to the Prime Minister’s Office at 10 Downing Street, tourists are transported to London’s Cotai Strip.
- Las Vegas Sands owns The Londoner Macau, and the developer’s stock has surged 16-fold since the beginning of the year.
This photo taken on October 20, 2022 shows a replica of the Big Ben Tower at the Londoner Casino Resort on Macau’s Cotai Strip. (Photo credit: Eduardo Real/AFP) (Photo credit: Eduardo Real/AFP via Getty Images)
Eduardo Leal | AFP | Getty Images
Asian tourists no longer need to take long-haul flights to visit Britain’s Big Ben or take photos of London’s iconic red double-decker bus.
Macau, known as the Las Vegas of Asia, can now do the same.
The Londoner Macau, a British-themed luxury casino resort in China’s gambling capital, held a grand opening ceremony on Thursday.
And British football celebrity David Beckham graced the event.
The Chinese gambling city has added yet another luxury casino resort along the Cotai Strip. The Cotai Strip is the term Las Vegas Sands uses to refer to an alley lined with hotel casinos, shopping centers and theaters.
Las Vegas Sands CEO Robert Goldstein told CNBC on Thursday, “You can’t get a better hotel room than the one you gave Londoners. You don’t even get a dining experience,” he said.
He said the hotel’s opening “exemplifies our commitment to quality”, adding that “the rooms are as good as anywhere in the world.”
The resort has been operating for the past two years, but severe COVID-19 restrictions and travel rules have delayed its opening.
The $2 billion resort preserves replicas of iconic British buildings. Other London monuments include the Palace of Westminster, the Prime Minister’s Office at 10 Downing Street, and the Shaftesbury Memorial Fountain.
Las Vegas Sands owns The Londoner Macao, The Venetian Macao, The Parisian Macao, Sands Macao, The Plaza Macao & Four Seasons Hotel Macao, all located on the Cotai Strip. It was shown on the company’s website.
Other hotels also feature replicas of famous European landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower and Venice’s Grand Canal.
Goldstein is proud that the luxury resort developer has brought Italy, France and Britain to Macau, a special administrative region of China.
“Who doesn’t love Paris? It was natural for me to end the trio of Italian, French and English,” Goldstein said.
The Londoner Macau Casino Resort and the Venetian Casino Resort along the Cotai Strip in Macau, China.
Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images
The biggest highlight for visitors to The Londoner Macau is undoubtedly the “changing of the guard entertainment extravaganza”. Resort website. It was launched during the opening ceremony on Thursday night.
Inspired by the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace, performances at the resort will take place six days a week and will feature more than 20 dancers and musicians.
Visitors can get a taste of London with an Alice in Wonderland-inspired afternoon tea, or hop into a classic black cab for a virtual experience as Beckham drives through his favorite spots around the city. can also do.
When you think of Macau, the first thing that comes to mind is casino gambling. But the city has changed beyond that and now offers a different experience for each visitor.
Goldstein said 20 years ago, Hong Kongers could not imagine Macau having retail stores, restaurants, spas, conventions and hotels.
Today, no one is questioning Macau’s growth anymore, he said, stressing that Macau is a very “dominant and important” market.
The casino operators who won the concession agreed to jointly invest about $15 billion over the next decade to help Macau diversify its addiction from gambling and boost international tourism.
“Gaming is not a difficult business. The government is right to focus on growing tourism,” Goldstein told CNBC. “Non-gaming influences gaming…these non-gaming amenities are very important for both sides.”
“What we are trying to do is build a hotel that works together. So we will be open for three days, they never have to go to the casino,” he added.
Las Vegas Sands shares are up more than 16% year-to-date.
