Inside Asian Gaming

IAG JUN 2020年6月 亞博匯 13 LAS VEGAS SANDS PULLS OUT OF JAPAN IR RACE 拉斯維加斯金沙 退出日本I R賽道 LAS VEGAS SANDS has revealed it will no longer pursue its bid to develop an integrated resort in Japan. In a shock announcement, LVS – which had been angling for a license in Yokohama – said it would instead focus its energies on “other opportunities,” pointing to the framework around Japan’s IR licensing as the reason for the company’s departure. “My fondness for the Japanese culture and admiration for the country’s strength as a tourism destination goes back more than 30 years to the days when I was operating COMDEX shows in Japan, and I’ve always wanted our company to have a development opportunity there,” said LVS Chairman and CEO Sheldon Adelson. “And while my positive feelings for Japan are undiminished, and I believe the country would benefit from the business and leisure tourism generated by an Integrated Resort, the framework around the development of an IR has made our goals there unreachable. “We are grateful for all of the friendships we have formed and the strong relationships we have in Japan, but it is time for our company to focus our energy on other opportunities. “I remain extremely bullish about the future of our company and its growth prospects. We operate best-in-class properties in the leading markets in our industry and we are currently executing significant investment programs in both Macau and Singapore to create meaningful new growth from our existing portfolio.” 拉斯維加斯金沙集團 宣佈，將不再尋求在日本 開發綜合度假村（IR）。 一直爭取橫濱IR牌照的拉斯維加斯金沙 集團在一份令人震驚的公告中表示，其將把精 力集中於「其他機會」上，並指出圍繞日本IR牌 照的諸多框架為該公司棄投的原因。 拉斯維加斯金沙集團主席兼行政總裁蕭 登‧艾德森稱：「我對日本文化的熱愛和對日 本作為旅遊勝地的實力的欽佩，可以追溯到 30年前我在日本經營COMDEX展覽時期，我 一直希望我們的公司可以在這裡有發展的機 會。」 「雖然我對日本的好感絲毫未減，並且始 終相信日本將從綜合度假村發展所帶來的商 務及休閒旅遊中受益，但圍繞IR開發的諸多框 架使我們難以實現在日本的目標。」 「我們對我們在日本時所建立的所有友 誼和牢固的關係深表感謝，但現在是我們公司 將精力集中在其他機會上的時候了。」 「我仍然看好公司的未來及增長前景。我 們在行業領先的市場上經營一流的物業，並且 正在澳門和新加坡執行重要的投資計劃，以現 有的投資組合創造有意義的新增長。」