Inside Asian Gaming

IAG MAR 2020年3月 亞博匯 18 亞博匯早報 BREAKFAST BRIEFS DONACO IN SETTLEMENT NEGOTIATIONS WITHTHAIVENDORSOFCAMBODIANCASINO SOUTHEAST Asian casino operator Donaco International Limited has entered mediation talks with the Thai vendor of its Star Vegas property in Poipet, Cambodia, aimed at putting an end to ongoing legal battles in multiple jurisdictions. The talks relate to three separate ongoing legal cases, including an arbitration claim in Singapore where Donaco is seeking US$190 million in damages; a Cambodian court battle over a disputed 50-year land lease deal for Star Vegas; and a freeze order in Australia placed on the sale of the Thai vendors’ 17.9% Donaco stake. All three cases emanate from a previous business relationship between the parties that saw the Thai vendors originally granted permission to host gaming facilities in a neighboring property to Star Vegas. The agreement saw Donaco paid a monthly management fee of THB5 million (US$151,000), but the company opted not to renew when the agreement expired in 2017 and no new management arrangements were put in place. When Donaco objected to the continuation of gaming operations by the vendors in defiance of non-compete provisions, they threatened to terminate Donaco’s Star Vegas land lease. In early February, three years after the long-running dispute began, Donaco revealed it has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Thai vendors under which all litigation matters between the two have been suspended for two months to allow the parties to conduct settlement negotiations. DONACO正與柬埔寨賭場的泰國賣家進行期和解談判 東南亞 娛樂場營運商Donaco International L imted正與其位於柬埔寨貝別的Sta r Vegas物業的泰國賣家進行和解談判，希望 可以解決在多個司法管轄區中進行的官司。 這些談判分別與三宗正在進行的司法 案件有關，當中包括一宗Donaco求償1.9 億美元的新加坡仲裁聲請、一場關於Star Vegas五十年租地協議紛爭的柬埔寨法庭 戰，以及對於該賣家所持Donaco股票在澳 洲的禁售令。 這三宗案件都源自之前的一個涉及多 方的商業合作。這合作本來容許泰國賣家在 鄰近Star Vegas的一個物業內營辦博彩設 施。協議亦包括Donaco支付每月5百萬泰銖 (151,000美元)的管理費。但該公司在協議 於2017年到期時決定不再續約，並且未有訂 立新的管理安排。 當Donaco反對賣家在違反不競爭條款 的情況下繼續經營博彩活動時，後者就威脅 要終止Donaco旗下Star Vegas的地皮租約。 Donaco在這漫長的紛爭開展了三年之 後透露，已經與泰國賣家簽署諒解備忘錄， 把一切官司暫停兩個月，讓雙方可以進行和 解談判。