Inside Asian Gaming

IAG NOV 2020年11月 亞博匯 91 2020 亞博匯50強 PHILLIP CHUN CHAIRMAN Paradise Group 田必立 會長 百樂達斯集團 29 POWER SCORE 權能指數 : 893 POSITION LAST YEAR 去年排名 : 31 THEY SAY TIMING IS EVERYTHING , and in that regard Phillip Chun’s Paradise Group hasn’t had much luck since launching its US$1.37 billion integrated resort Paradise City into the teeth of a Sino-Korean diplomatic row in April 2017. Located in Incheon near the South Korean capital of Seoul, Paradise City – a 55%-45% joint venture with Japanese gaming manufacturer Sega Sammy – was finally starting to turn profitable late last year before COVID-19 brought a sudden halt to momentum. With South Korea being one of the first countries outside of mainland China to feel the full force of the pandemic in March, Chun’s Paradise Co closed down its four foreigner-only casinos – which also include Paradise Walkerhill, Busan Casino and Jeju Grand – for about a month but business has remained slow since reopening with sales declines in excess of 70%. Outside of a small expat community that has kept the business interested, the medium-term outlook remains sketchy given the reliance on international visitation. Longer-term, Paradise is relying on its better than 50% share of Korea’s foreigner-only casino market to drive it forward, but the prospect of Japan opening its own IRs eventually remains a risk. CLAIMS TO FAME 名成事跡 Paradise City, Korea’s first US$1 billion-plus integrated resort, turning consistently profitable in third year of operation Leads foreigner-only casino market with locations in Seoul, Incheon, Busan and Jeju • • • • 百樂達斯城是韓國首間價值超過10億美元的綜合度假村，在營運第三年就達至長期有 盈利的狀態 在首爾、仁川、釜山及濟州等不同地方的那個只對外國人開放的娛樂場市場中獨領群雄 人們總是說 ，時機決定一切，就這點來看，田必立的百樂達斯集團自從在2017 年4月在中韓外交爭端的背景下推出投資13.7億美元的綜合度假村百樂達斯 城以來，運氣一直不太好。 百樂達斯城位於韓國首都首爾附近的仁川，由百樂達斯及日本世嘉颯美 各自擁有55%及45%股份，於去年年底終於開始扭虧為盈，而新冠肺炎疫情突 然打斷其發展勢頭。 今年3月，由於韓國是除中國內地之外首次受到新冠疫情衝擊的國家，田 必立的百樂達斯集團關閉了旗下全部4間僅向外國人開放的賭場——百樂達 斯城、百樂達斯華克山莊、百樂達斯娛樂場釜山以及百樂達斯濟州圓山。關閉 了約一個月後，物業重開卻生意一直清淡，營業額下降了70％以上。 除了當地的小型外籍人士群體仍然光顧之外，鑒於該公司對於國際遊客 的依賴，因而中期前景仍不明朗。長期來看，憑藉在韓國僅對外籍人士開放的 賭場的逾50%的市場份額，百樂達斯將推動自身發展，但是否未來會在日本投 資發展綜合度假村就仍存在著風險。