MGM China Executive Director Pansy Ho says the company is “ready to submit” its application to the Macau government for the allocation of new to market gaming tables but believes quality, not quantity, will be the key to success when MGM Cotai opens its doors on 29 January 2018
Speaking to reporters at this week’s MGS Entertainment Show – where the renowned businesswoman and daughter of Macau gaming godfather Stanley Ho was a keynote speaker on the opening morning – Ms Ho outlined MGM’s plans for its new Cotai resort including a higher quality of customer in the VIP segment and unique events to provide global appeal.
“For Cotai, we’re discussing with authorities and it is still in progress but we’re ready to submit and we would like them to consider the table [allocation],” said Ms Ho, who refrained from revealing the exact amount of tables the company will apply for.
“We hope to keep the existing 400 tables and try to apply more. We can never fix the gaming table [allocation] with the government. We’ll make an application to the government and the government will determine what rate and level that they’ll be and allocate them to us.”
Although most of Macau’s operators originally planned for between 400 and 500 tables at their new Cotai properties, they have to this point been granted far fewer with Melco Resorts’ Studio City granted 250 when it opened in 2015 and Galaxy Macau, Wynn Palace and Sands China’s Parisian Macao granted just 150 each.
Nevertheless, Ms Ho said that MGM was ready to adjust to whatever reality might unfold, pointing to the company’s junket plans as an example.
Asked about potential market share in the VIP segment, she said, “If we still want to take our own share in the so-called junket business, or high-value customers, there will still be enough, but now we’re after more the quality. They’ll appreciate the service quality as much as the quality they’ll play.”
Ms Ho also said that MGM Cotai would look to separate itself from both local and regional competition by holding unique, targeted events – with eSports very much on the company’s radar.
“It will almost be the automatic choice of venue for eSports,” she said of MGM Cotai.
“When everybody is doing just larger and bigger stadiums and exhibition venues, we have been trying to play smart to utilize our space in such a way that we think we are leading the rest in terms of how we’re going to be able to bring lots of new ideas. The spaces (at MGM Cotai), though they’re not the largest, they have the capability to host any sorts of event.”
