- Three South American Teenage Minor Leaguers Suspended for Positive Doping
- “Skill gaming” machines that are proliferating across the nation.
- The fact that Encore Boston Harbor is still not offering live poker does not come as a surprise, according to a Boston College professor who follows New England gambling trends.
- “What are you talking about, I’m not negotiating with any club.”
Studio City Casino Macau hopes to launch VIP tables this month
Melco Crown Entertainment Limited wanted to offer VIP gaming tables on the Studio City Casino Macao property, which prompted the Cotai Strip venue to reveal that such high-roller operations could begin before the end of the month.
Studio City Casino Macau opened without a VIP gaming facility, which Melco Crown Entertainment Limited CEO Lawrence Ho Yau Leung described as a “business decision” because the building was designed to include around 250 new market public market tables. In the months that followed, however, new properties, including Win Palace Co-Tai, took the top spot, with some analysts arguing that the venues were low in terms of revenue per table compared to similar-sized competitors.
“We have one or two [junket operator] partners and our own VIP play,” said Ted Chan Ying Tat, chief operating officer of Melco Crown Entertainment Limited. “VIP play facilities will be open at the same time. Let’s hope the VIP facility opens this month.”
Last month, Chan said Melco Crown Entertainment Limited expected to offer about 30 VIP tables at Studio City Casino Macao, but on Tuesday the company had yet to make a decision on whether to re-designate some of its already operational public market tables or relocate existing high-priced tables to other parts of its local property.
“We haven’t decided internally,” Chan said, “and we’ve confirmed the work with our junket partners, but we still have to discuss the table distribution.” The renovation work is almost complete. We are ready at any time, given that there is no problem for the Government to approve the [VIP table] after all these discussions
Melco Crown Entertainment Limited has a 60% stake in Studio City Casino Macao and is required to share the gains from the table with 40% partner New Cotai, managed by American investment firm Silver Point Capital and Oaktree Capital Management.
“Following our approach to maximizing profitability through yield management, we are in the process of establishing a rolling chip division at Studio City Casino Macau that includes junkets and premium VIP direct purchases,” Ho said last month.