Wynns: Deal is good for Macau

07.03.2006, Lesen Sie hier den Bericht über «Wynns: Deal is good for Macau».

When Steve Wynn talks about his USD 900 million megadeal to sell his Macau casino sub-concession to Australia-based Publishing and Broadcasting Ltd., he sounds like an ambassador of the semiautonomous Chinese enclave.

PBL is controlled by the family of the late Kerry Packer, who died in December. The company owns many of Australia's leading broadcasting and magazine assets as well as the Crown casino operation. Packer's son James Packer runs PBL.



"James Packer and his associates bring dignity and power to Macau's future, and we are delighted to be a part of the process," Wynn said Sunday, shortly after the deal was announced. "The granting of a sub-concession was our way of cooperating with the government's goals by picking an operator with unquestioned reputation and development skill."

The Saturday evening agreement, first reported in Sunday's Las Vegas Sun, calls for PBL to pay Wynn Resorts for the right to build casinos in Macau. Wynn sold no assets beyond his sub- concession right; his company remains able to build and joint-venture as many Macau casinos as it chooses.

"It's nice to have the USD 900 million," deadpanned Wynn.

The other two winners of Macau's 2002 casino concession were longtime casino monopoly holder Stanley Ho and Hong Kong-based Galaxy Casino Co. Ltd. Each of those parties had already awarded their sub-concession: Ho to a partnership of his daughter Pansy Ho and Las Vegas-based MGM Mirage in a 0 million sale, and Galaxy to Las Vegas Sands, the Venetian parent that originally had partnered with Galaxy in its concession bid.

Wynn said he fielded about one inquiry into the sub-concession per week.

"There was only one way in - through me," explained Wynn, who said James Packer has been discussing the deal for months. Wynn said he consulted with the government to get a feel for officials' reaction to the sale.

Wynn Resorts will receive the USD 900 million as soon as the deal takes effect, immediately after the Macau government grants its approval. Wynn said he expects the process to take "weeks."

PBL plans to sell an interest in the sub-concession to Melco International Development Ltd., a company owned by Stanley Ho's son Lawrence Ho.

"Steve Wynn is without peer in the worldwide gaming industry, and I hope that we have the opportunity to do more things together going forward," Packer said in the statement.

Asked what he thought the impact of a USD 900 million infusion would be on Wynn Resorts stock, Wynn chuckled. "It will be interesting to see," he mused, before quickly noting that "it doesn't matter to me. I'm a holder, not a seller."

Über Wynn Las Vegas:

Das Casino/Hotel 'Wynn Las Vegas' am Las Vegas Strip in Las Vegas USA wurde vom Immobilienmogul Steve Wynn finanziert und gebaut.

Das Wynn Las Vegas ist mit seinen 50 Stockwerken das zur Zeit das höchste Hotel in Las Vegas und mit den Baukosten von rund 2,7 Milliarden US Dollar eines der teuersten Hotels der Welt.

Das Grundstück umfasst ein 10'200 m2 grosses Spielcasino, einen 12'000 m2 grossen See, 18 Restaurants und Bars, 26 Geschäfte auf 7'000 m2, eine Kunstgalerie und zwei Hochzeitskapellen. Darüberhinaus gibt es ein 20'700 m2 grosses Konferenzzentrum. Es ist das einzige Hotel in Las Vegas, welches seinen Gästen einen Golfplatz mit 18 Löchern innerhalb des Komplexes zu Verfügung stellt. Für die Restaurants wurden eigens Spitzenköche engagiert.

Wynn Las Vegas Lage am Las Vegas Strip bietet einfachen Zugang zum Las Vegas Convention Center, Fashion Show Mall und Sands Expo Center. Unser von Tom Fazio und Steve Wynn entworfene Meisterschafts-Golfplatz kann ausschliesslich von Hotelgästen genossen werden. Alle unsere Tagungsräume bieten freie Sicht auf die luxuriösen Pools und Gärten oder den charakteristischen 18. Loch Golfplatz.

Das Casino bietet die gesamte Palette an Tischspielen, einschliesslich Blackjack, Big 6, Craps, Caribbean Stud Poker, Roulette, Let-it-Ride, Pai Gow Poker, Pai Gow, Three Card Poker und War. Als Gast unseres Resorts können Sie auch am Pool an der Cabana Bar Blackjack spielen.

Das Hotel liegt auf dem Gelände des abgerissenen Hotel/Casino «Desert Inn».

Besitzer ist die Firma Wynn Resorts Limited.

--- Ende Artikel / Pressemitteilung Wynns: Deal is good for Macau ---


Weitere Informationen und Links:

Weitere Nachrichten der Gaming-Branche