Inside Asian Gaming

INSIDE ASIAN GAMING | September 2012 12 Asian Gaming 50 – 2012 7 Alvin Chau Chairman Suncity Group Even Macau’s other major junkets acknowledge that Suncity Group is probably the largest operator among them and also by far the most innovative, not only in its core business but also in pursuing other opportunities, from media and entertainment to IT solutions. AlvinChauandhisSuncityGroup—which was only set up in 2007—have experienced a meteoric rise. Suncity runs 14 VIP clubs with around 230 tables. The group also runs two high-roller operations overseas—at Paradise Walkerhill casino in South Korea and a resort in Cagayan Province in the Philippines—and has representative offices in Japan, Thailand and Taiwan. Suncity’s rapid expansion is aided by the youth and vigor of 38-year-old Mr Chau. Despite the group’s undiminished appetite for growth, however, Mr Chau emphasizes that they remain prudent, putting themselves in a safe position during the current slowdown in VIP growth in Macau, in contrast to other groups that have been more aggressive in extending credit and may find bad debts coming home to roost in the coming months. Mr Chau attributes the slowdown to global economic conditions but believes Macau’s VIP segment should easily see itself back on track by next year. Suncity strives to distinguish itself from its junket rivals by providing its clients the most complete and highest-quality range of supporting amenities and services, and to that end has invested heavily in businesses outside the gaming realm. In 2008, the group established Sun City Tours, which offers comprehensive travel agency services in Macau. Suncity also owns chic entertainment venues, including Club Lotus nightclub at The Venetian Macao and SKY 21 Bar and Restaurant atop AIA Tower, offering panoramic views from one of the trendiest hangouts on theMacaupeninsula.Thegroup also recently unveiled an über-exclusive boutique called SKYLuxe within SKY 21, offering a collection of limited-edition and one-of-a-kind timepieces, jewelry and fashion accessories. Suncity also promotes its brand heavily by sponsoring big-name concerts and live performances. Among the highlights over the past year were the four-day sold-out Jacky Cheung “1/2 Century Tour” in Macau, Taiwanese magician Lu Chen’s performance at The Venetian’s Cotai Arena and Sita Chan’s “Crazy Love” concert in Hong Kong. The group’s media vehicles often directly bolster its gaming and tourism businesses. The movie “Poker King,” starring A-list Hong Kong actors Louis Koo and Lau Ching Wan, was produced to support Suncity’s efforts to develop poker’s following among baccarat- focused Chinese players. High rollers at Suncity’s Poker KingClubat Galaxy StarWorld Hotel and Casino now play for the biggest pots in the world. Suncity’s poker effort is also supported by its Poker King magazine, while e.traveller magazine and UO Macau— the leading Web site for Chinese visitors to Macau—help drive visitors not only into Suncity’s arms but also to Macau as a whole. AlthoughmanyofMr Chau’s non-gaming investments are intended to bolster Suncity’s core activities, others have larger stand- alone aspirations. Sun Entertainment Group, set up in 2008, has financed and produced a string of big-budget films, including the blockbuster comedy “Vulgaria,” starring Chapman To and Ronald Cheng. One of the group’s greatest innovations in securing the loyalty of its customers is the Suncity Card, which not only offers redemption of points for retail, dining and entertainment purchases around Macau but also delivers discounts and other privileges. By swiping their cards at one of several conveniently located Suncity BTM Card kiosks, members can also access detailed records of their gaming activities and other spending and credit amounts they are entitled to at specific venues. Members can also avail themselves of an exclusive 24-hour concierge service. . Mr Chau continues to expand the brand with acquisitions in finance, media and health and beauty across Hong Kong, Macau and China and other interests that include the development, marketing andproduction of software and an iron mine in Indonesia. He vows to keep on innovating and evolving to maintain Suncity’s edge over its rivals and contribute to Macau’s transformation into the entertainment capital of Asia. 8 James Packer Executive Chairman, Crown Ltd Co-Chairman , Melco Crown Entertainment Finding himself at 38 the custodian of one of the world’s great fortunes, James Packer was perhaps too aggressive in his desire to impose his personality on the extensive gaming and media holdings his father, Kerry, left him with his death in 2005. It was as though he needed to prove himself worthy of the daunting legacy of Australia’s richest and most influential man, and assert his independence of it at the same time, and he stumbled badly. The missteps were mostly in Las Vegas, most of them in 2007, just as the bottomwas about to fall out. In his defense, he was far from alone in missing the storm gathering on the horizon, and certainly he wasn’t the only one to spit directly into it, spending lavishly in a failed bid to establish Crown as a leader in the neon mecca and burning through more than US$1 billion before it was over. To all appearances the American odyssey left him with nothing but a quarter- interest in some suburban venues in Vegas’ recession-battered locals market and a racino in the US state of Pennsylvania near the city of Pittsburgh. But that would be a serious misreading as well. The losses were an invaluable experience. Kerry Packer didn’t believe in higher education and refused to send his only son to university. Failure compensated for the schooling he lacked. Its lessons haven’t been lost on him. Now 45, he has learned that there are partners and then there arepartners, andhe’s been deftly exploiting the difference ever since. Through Melco Crown Entertainment in Macau he enjoys a 33.4% stake in more than 600,000 square feet of total resort space in the largest casino market in the world, with another 1.2 million square feet under development at Studio City. The joint