Inside Asian Gaming

INSIDE ASIAN GAMING | April 2008 36 Ponte 16, which is managed by the Accor group. The hotel has 389 rooms and an exclusive block of 19 VIP Mansions. Mr Ma says the distinctly European Sofitel brand was an ideal choice given the property’s locations, and in order to “differentiate ourselves from the American competitors.” He adds: “We’ve also been commented to have one of the most comfortable beds in town,” acknowledging Sofitel’s unique MyBed system. The Inner Harbor used to be Macau’s commercial centre until the 1970s, but following the relocation of the Hong Kong - Macau Ferry Terminal to the Outer Harbour, it embarked on a steep economic decline. Mr Ma hopes Ponte 16 will boost efforts—by both the local community and government—to revitalise the impoverished area, while preserving its cultural heritage. The glitzy new casino resorts sprouting up along Friendship Avenue and Cotai have obvious appeal, but “people still want to see what Macau is all about—the historical side of the city,” notes Mr Ma. Recent developments have started drawing “a lot more leisure travellers to Macau than before, rather than just the hardcore gamblers.That’s why they want to come to this area, and that’s why they come into Ponte 16. I think this neighbourhood will be the‘Soho’kind of community in the future. So it’s going to be very different from other places in Macau.” Ponte 16 also sits opposites to the Wanchai area of neighbouring Zhuhai city in mainland China. A ferry terminal next to the resort provides easy access to Zhuhai via a 2-minute ferry ride. Ferry connections to Shekou and Jiangmen on the mainland are also available. Mr Ma says the ferry connection next to the resort provides several benefits, especially given the severe congestion at Gongbei, the main border crossing with Zhuhai. “Not only are there long queues at Gongbei, but you also need to walk at least 300 metres, whereas here [via the ferry crossing], you hop on the ferry, you get off, and you’re on the car.”Furthermore, whereas Gongbei is some distance from San Ma Lo , the ferry crossing drops passengers “right in the centre of city, where all the tourist attractions are, and it’s convenient.” Mr Ma also points out that traffic on the ferry crossing has been growing steadily since Ponte 16 opened. Pachinko connection In addition to serving as Deputy CEO of Ponte 16, Mr Ma is also an executive director of Hong Kong-listed Macau Success Ltd, which owns a 49% stake in the resort project. The casino at Ponte 16 is operated under the license of Stanley Ho’s Sociedade de Jogos de Macau (SJM), which holds the remaining 51% stake in the venture.In October last year, Japan’s leading pachinko operator, Maruhan Corporation, joined Macau Success as a strategic partner,acquiring an 18.2% stake in the company—and an effective 13% interest in Ponte 16 through its respective share in Macau Success and its subsidiary. Ponte 16 is set to benefit not only from Maruhan’s experience in the entertainment industry,butalsoitsconnectionsinJapanand Korea. Mr Ma points out that “the Maruhan family [like the majority of Japan’s pachinko operators] are Koreans living in Japan for a very long time, so they have connections in both countries.” He says that “after the hotel opens, we will do joint promotion with them [Maruhan] to promote the project and invite some of their members into the property.”He predicts Japanese and Koreans could contribute about 10% of Ponte 16’s business. The Maruhan connection has led to speculation that Ponte 16 could introduce pachinko to Macau, but Mr Ma does not believe that the game will necessarily prove popular in the city. “In Japan, pachinko is played by people who are retired or want to kill time,” he observes, while visitors to Macau are generally busy taking in the sights and engaging in more intense forms of gambling.