Zwei neue Casinos in Singapur bewilligt

19.04.2005, Lesen Sie hier den Bericht über «Zwei neue Casinos in Singapur bewilligt D/E».

Jakarta · 18. April · Singapurs Regierung hat beschlossen, bis 2009 zwei Casinos zu eröffnen. Beide sollen Teil großer Freizeit- und Tourismusanlagen werden, die in Innenstadtnähe sowie auf einer vorgelagerten Insel geplant sind. Laut Premierminister Lee Hsien Loong wollen spätere Casino- Betreiber bis zu sieben Milliarden Singapur-Dollar investieren, umgerechnet 3,2 Milliarden Euro.

Casinos waren in Singapur bislang verboten. Mit ihnen hofft die Regierung des südostasiatischen Stadtstaates auf mehr Touristen, Milliardeneinnahmen und 35 000 neue Arbeitsplätze. Viele Singapurer hatten sich gegen das Projekt ausgesprochen, weil sie Sittenverfall, viele Spielabhängige und eine Steigerung der Kriminalität befürchten. Frankfurt Online

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Singapore gives green light to two casinos At Marina Bay and Sentosa Island

(Singapore).- Singapore approved today the controversial proposal to legalize casino gambling, clearing the way for two multi-billion dollar casino resorts to bring in tourist dollars and overhaul the island´s staid image.


US investment bank Merrill Lynch estimates the casino resort would cost about us$ 2 billion to build.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong told parliament the government had decided to approve two casino developments worth a combined us$ 3 billion, one on Marina Bay near the downtown city center and one on the resort island of Sentosa.

"We cannot stand still. The whole region is on the move," Lee said in his first major policy decision since taking power in August. "If we don´t change, where will we be in 20 years?"

"We decided on two integrated resorts, because the Bayfront and Sentosa projects complement each other, because having two provides competition and critical mass, and because we believe that two projects will bring more economic benefits, without increasing the social cost commensurately," Lee continued.

He said the two sites attracted two different types of proposals. Bayfront is suitable for a large business and convention facility while Sentosa would be more for a family-friendly resort development to cater to tourists on holidays with the casino or gaming area to occupy less than 3% and 5% of the allotted areas, respectively.

The casino resorts are central to Singapore´s ambitious target of doubling tourist numbers to 17 million a year, tripling their annual spending to us$ 18 billion, creating about 100,000 jobs and overturning the stereotype of a staid, sleepy island.

The casino plan, part of a broader effort to re-engineer Singapore´s economy and turn the affluent city-state into a Monaco of the East, provoked a rare open policy debate over whether the benefits would outweigh potential risks of gambling addiction and crime.

The decision comes as big casino operators are turning to Asia for expansion and could spur regions such as Thailand, India, Taiwan and Japan into legalizing casinos after explosive growth in casinos in the Chinese city of Macau, analysts say.

Singapore has received 19 concept proposals from nearly every big name in the global casino business, including Las Vegas giants Harrah´s Entertainment Inc., MGM Mirage, Kerzner International Ltd. and Wynn Resorts Ltd., and Australia´s TabCorp Holdings. Potential developers include Singapore´s CapitaLand Ltd. and Keppel Land Ltd.

The casino, expected to open its doors in 2009, will form the epicenter of a resort boasting theme parks, the city´s biggest shopping plaza, a museum, convention halls and a 1,500-2,000 room hotel either on Singapore´s Sentosa Island or closer to downtown.

US investment bank Merrill Lynch estimates the casino resort would cost about us$ 2 billion to build, have an enterprise value of about us$ 4.8 billion with a third of its estimated us$ 2.1 billion a year in revenues coming from tourists.

Some of the companies have been selected to submit a second proposal to the government, beginning the next phase in a selection process that is expected to end in December when the government awards a license to a syndicate to build the project.

Economists say the casino will accelerate efforts to remold Singapore´s economy into a services hub as China´s rapid economic growth erodes its traditional manufacturing base and fast-growing cities such as Bangkok vie for tourist dollars.

Tomo Kinoshita, economist at Nomura Singapore, reckons the casino resort could boost the economy by 0.6 percentage point a year while creating about 13,000 jobs, equivalent to about 0.6 percent of Singapore´s labor force. "The casino will have a significant effect on the labor market," he said before news of the approval.

The decision came after spirited debate on the plan. "Casi-NO" bumper stickers adorned some cars. The Web buzzed with discussion on the topic. Even founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, the premier´s father, expressed concern.

One group, "Families Against the Casino Threat in Singapore", gathered 29,413 signatures in an online petition to stop it, while two opposition parties formally opposed the plan. Singaporeans already bet heavily in lotteries, on cruise ships and via illegal bookmakers. Merrill Lynch estimates that a casino could capture up to 60 percent of the over us$ 443 million Singaporeans spend each year gambling abroad.

To try to offset this, Lee said the government will be restrictive in the admission of Singaporeans in casinos in a bid to minimize the social impact of gambling. Singaporeans and permanent residents will be charged a high entrance fee of S$ 100 (us$ 60) per day or S$ 2,000 (us$ 1,200) a year if they choose to be a member while those in social distress and recipients of social assistance will not be allowed entry into the casino, Lee said.

Über Glücksspiele in Macau - Gambling in Macao:

Macau (englisch Macao) liegt rund 50 Kilometer westlich von Hongkong und ist das Glücksspiel-Paradies in Asien.

Macau hat rund 40 Spielcasinos. Die grössten Casinos sind The Venetian Macao, MGM Macao, Wynn Macao, Galaxy StarWorld, City of Dreams, Sands Macao, Casino Lisboa.

Neben den riesigen und farbenfrohen Casinobuildings ist eines der Wahrzeichen der Macau Tower (Fernsehturm mit 338 Meter) mit atemberaubenden Ausblicken auf die Stadt.

Macau erstreckt sich über eine Fläche von 115.3 km2 und hat rund 620'000 Einwohner.

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