Inside Asian Gaming

INSIDE ASIAN GAMING | April 2012 36 Chic Retreat Considering that Galaxy Macau is booking well more than HK$1 billion a month in revenue from its VIP rooms, it seems only right that all those high rollers should be gifted with a place to party worthy of their lavish betting habits. With the opening of China Rouge, now they have. Galaxy unveiled the sumptuous 1,600-square-meter members-only club at the end of March with three days of appropriatelyamped-up festivities. Therewasapress tour. There was a photo shoot. There was a “media roundtable” with Alan Chan, the award-winning Hong Kong artist and designer who created the club’s décor, and the club’s executive manager, Noel Furrer, a European-trained chef and habitué of the Hong Kong jet set. There was a press conference hosted by Galaxy Entertainment Group Vice Chairman Francis Liu. There was not one but two red carpet ceremonies. But then it’s not like Galaxy to do things in a small way. Billed as an “ultra-sophisticated retreat for power brokers and society’s elite”, China Rouge doesn’t want to be perceived as merely another dimly lit space for the closeting of big players away from the prying eyes of the rest of us. Rather, the aim has been to fashion an ambiance that with a bit of imagination will transport the legendary spenders who get to go inside— access is invitation-only—back in time to eras legendary for their sinful elegance: Belle Époque Paris and Shanghai of the ’20s and ’30s. “It has been an amazing project to work on, and I must applaud the determination of Galaxy Macau to create something truly exceptional,” said Mr Chan, who conceived of the room’s palatial spaces, selected its appointments, and filled it with original works commissioned from some of China’s most celebrated contemporary artists and several pieces he created exclusively for the club himself. “One of my passions is the fusion of Asian and Western design,” said Mr Chan. In this manner, China Rouge is being trumpeted as another elucidation of Galaxy Macau’s “World Class, Asian Heart” theme. “The opening of China Rouge continues our track record of bringing exciting, new and unique experiences to the Macau market,” Mr Liu said. “And everything we do is underpinned by our commitment to being the only authentically Asian resort of its kind.” Officially, theclub seats 165, with standing roomfor 400. It will feature live Asian and Western entertainment in a showroom overlooked by a mezzanine floor. The food is gourmet, of course, the wines the finest, the liquor the top of the top shelf. Dress is “casual chic”. Recently named one of the “Top 10 Resort Hotels of China” by the prestigious China Hotel Starlight Awards, China Rouge will add to that reputation a lustre of its own. INSIGHTS