Inside Asian Gaming

In my experience with large resort ca­ sinos, what we should put into an opera­ tion and what makes it successful. We [MGM Mirage] are the world's largest casino operator with 27 large resorts al­ ready, and this one will be number 28. I don't think there will be a large draw long-haul but certainly in Asia, Japan, Hong Kong and Taiwan. l'm sure we will get some customers from the US and Europe as well. What infrastructure developments do you think will be needed in the coming years to deal with the ever­ increasing number of visitors, many of whom will be attracted to the MGM Grand? As Macau grows I think the ai rp ort will grow and there will be more and more airlines making long haul flights here. Having more direct flights to more Asian cities will have a huge impact. The (Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Macau-Zhuhai) bridge will also have an impact, but 1 think they should also have a train. How do you see Macau in five or ten years from now? It wiII be the biggest tourist destina­ tion in the whole of Asia by far, with the biggest resorts. It will have the biggest convention center in Asia. I don't think there will be a large draw long-haul but cer­ tainly in Asia, Japan, Hong Kong and Taiwan. The SAR government has been em­ phasizing other aspects of the local scene to balance Macau's image as a gambling destination. Will the new casinos offer more "family style" en­ tertainment to keep in line with this trend? Mr. Hansen says: In our Las Vegas market, our company controls most of the high• end business. With Pansy [Ho, pictured here] we should be even more successful, and get the lion's share of the Macau market. 22 InsideAsian Gaming September 2005 It will be diversified entertainment. Even Las Vegas has moved away from marketing to families. Pansy is plan­ ning to develop a huge shopping/hotel/ serviced apartment complex after the MGM Grand in 2007. Do you think there will come a time when there will be too many opera­ tors trying to get a piece of the Ma­ cau gaming business pie? As long as the mainland keeps open­ ing up travel for individuals, the market will keep on growing. There were 38 million visitors to Las Vegas last year, and Las Vegas has many more than six operators. Just the Strip in Las Vegas brings in about US$5.2 billion annually and there are a lot more operators there than you have in Macau. We 'II hire at least 3,000 dur­ ing the construction phase and 5,000 staf f members after that. Its a challengefor us and it will be a challengefor everybod y. How many jobs are you expecting to create here and where will the hu­ man resources come from? We'll hire at least 3,000 during the construction phase and 5,000 staff members after that. It's a challenge for us and it will be a challenge for every­ body. Every operator in Macau now seems to be saying they will be the "em­ ployer of choice." How do you plan to compete with them for human re­ sources in this challenging market? We (MGM Mirage) are the preferred employer in Vegas. We will offer bene­ fits appropriate to this market. Employ­ ees should enjoy going to work. I've loved every minute of the years I've been with MGM. I think our employees here will love being with us, too. As for training, we have large training facili­ ties in all our properties. MGM in Las Vegas has its own in-house University. MGM Grand will have a similar pro­ gram in Macau. I'm sure we'll outdo ourselves.