Sands Macau opens

Helen Luk

Tuesday, May 18, 2004 | 10:47 a.m.

MACAU -- A Las Vegas tycoon opened a new casino here today, raising the stakes in Macau's huge gambling industry by bringing in competition for the first time in more than 40 years.

Thousands of gamblers eager for a taste of the action at the Sands tried to push their way in when the doors opened, knocking metal detectors around and bringing overloaded escalators to a standstill.

Some were chasing rumors -- which turned out false -- that the casino run by Las Vegas operator Sheldon Adelson would be distributing free chips. Security guards formed a human chain to slow the stampede and restore order.

"It was horrible," said a local woman, Mrs. Kam, who was physically pushed up a stalled escalator and into the casino. "If I had known it would be like this I wouldn't have come."

Tourist Li Fong said she almost fainted on the way in, then left after losing 200 Macau patacas, the equivalent of $25, in the Chinese dice game dai sai.

"I'm really disappointed that they weren't handing out free chips," said Li, from the Chinese border city of Zhuhai. Others grumbled that some slot machines were not yet working.

Adelson hopes Nevada's glitter and glitz paired with a distinctive Chinese flavor will attract the mainly Chinese gamblers who drop billions of dollars each year at casinos run by Hong Kong's Stanley Ho.

The Sands in Macau cost $240 million and features 277 gaming tables and 405 slots.

It was designed with elements of feng shui to make patrons feel comfortable and will include "tea boys" in traditional Chinese attire serving gamblers.

Adelson made his mark in Las Vegas with the Venetian, a replica of Venice complete with canals and singing gondoliers, and wants to create an Asian version of the Strip later in Macau with another artificial Venice.

The payout in Macau could be huge.

Las Vegas Sands President William Weidner said Macau casinos are expected to bring in $4.2 billion to $4.6 billion in gaming revenue this year, compared with $5 billion for the Las Vegas Strip, with massive growth expected as newly affluent mainland Chinese flood in.

"Macau is on the verge of becoming the world's top revenue-producing gaming market," Weidner predicted.

Adelson won one of three gaming licenses when Macau decided in 2002 to open its industry to competition after Ho held a monopoly for four decades.

Ho will stay in the game, and the other license went to Las Vegas mogul Steve Wynn, who has been holding off on his plans while waiting for Macau to changes its laws and let casinos provide credit to players.

Ho said he welcomes the competition that analysts call long overdue.

"As long as it's healthy competition, I think the pie will keep on growing, and each party will get its piece," Ho told reporters.

The casino boom has been pushing Macau's economy ahead by the double digits.

Macau is just 40 miles west of Hong Kong, and they attract thousands of Hong Kong and Chinese gamblers -- who have no casinos at home. Macau was returned to Chinese sovereignty in 1999 after more than four centuries of rule from Portugal.

Some of the seedier aspects of Macau -- loan sharks preying on gamblers and prostitutes flocking around the casinos -- will remain.

"You show me a city anywhere in the world and I'll find you a loan shark," Weidner said, adding the company won't chase off prostitutes who gather outside although solicitation will be banned in the casino.

Ho is polishing up his flagship Lisboa and he plans a 40-story luxury hotel-casino -- along with an amusement park.