Inside Asian Gaming

tained.” Fair enough, perhaps, given it could be one of the property’s key competitive advantages. The super salons are intended primarily for direct customers, and are part of Crown’s plan to cut out the junket operators who currently deliver the bulk of high-rollers to Macau’s casinos. In addition to having access to the super salons, Mr Hawkins believes many high-roll- ers will prefer to come to Crown directly rath- er than via junkets in order to enjoy “more of a seamless experience.” According to Mr Hawkins, customers “at the very top end of the market, in my experi- ence, like to have more of a direct relation- ship with the operator.” While junketsmight offer higher commis- sion rates, the cream of the high-roller crop “are potentially less fussed about a percent- age point difference in what they’re earning. A lot of these guys like a personal direct ex- perience and are prepared to pay a bit more for that premium level of direct service, in- stead of going through a middle man. You’re dealing with the operator and the team who know you well and directly, instead of a third party who is liaising on your behalf.” Mr Hawkins continues: “That’s why the sales team is very important. A lot of these level players have a direct and loyal relation- ship with a sales person.” That’s not to say Crown will not work with junket or VIP room operators, with level 8 de- signed specifically to provide space for fixed- room operators. Crown currently works with five fixed-room operators, with a sixth about to start soon. Mr Hawkins says “our approach with fixed operators is to make sure those draw the region’s high-rollers to the prop- erty, now that the facilities are ready. Mr Hawkins claims occupancy has already reached as high as 90% on the weekends, and expects it will reach 100% in the near future. One of Crown’s purported disadvantages is its location on Taipa Island, away from the current hub of mass-market gaming activ- ity on the Macau Peninsula, especially along Friendship Avenue, where Sands, Galaxy’s StarWorld, Wynn and the new and old Lis- boas sit. Friendship Avenue is adjacent to the cur- rent ferry terminal,through which about 35% of visitors to Macau arrive. The other main point of entry, the land border with Zhuhai, is about twice as far from Crown as it is from Friendship Avenue. Only 5.5% of visitors arrive by air,with the airport located on Taipa. Arrivals by air could rise considerably following the airport ex- pansion (detailed on page 16) and opening of mega resorts drawing more international tourists to the city. When Venetian Macao opens later this month on the Cotai Strip, next to Taipa, it “could drive traffic south from Macau, which from our point of view is not such a bad thing,”points out Mr Hawkins. Crown’s location will also be bolstered by the opening of the Pac On New Ferry Termi- nal (pictured in the map on page 17), which is expected to take over from the existing terminal on the Macau Peninsula as the main port of entry for visitors arriving by sea from Hong Kong. Crown shuttle buses will be waiting out- side Pac On to take customers“just down the road”to Crown’s mass market tables.So while Crown stresses it is first and foremost a VIP gaming facility, the main hall should not be discounted just yet. 33 Entrance to level 9 VIP gaming area we enter into contracts with are capable of providing significant volumes of business. If a fixed operator has a fixed room available to them, and their business is poor, we need to have the ability to move them on if the business is not there.” Still, Mr Hawkins adds: “We’ll probably look at doing some more conversion works to add a couple of other fixed operator spaces.” Crown currently has around 70 VIP tables operating, with plans to shortly raise that fig- ure to 80 (the complex includes an additional 142 mass-market tables and 550 electronic gaming machines). Around 49 of the 80 VIP tables will be earmarked for direct customers, including the tables on level 9, which “bal- ances some communal areas with a number of breakout salons around.” Better days ahead The Crown International marketing network has only just begun its efforts to Swimming pool