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Las Vegas Sands CEO and Chairman Sheldon Adelson makes a few remarks after receiving the Hospitality Industry Leader of the Year award at the eighth-annual Vallen Dinner of Distinction, April 26, 2012.
Thursday, April 26, 2012 | 5:47 p.m.
Sheldon Adelson greets Steve Wynn and wife Andrea Hissom at the eighth-annual Vallen Dinner of Distinction on April 26, 2012. Adelson received the Hospitality Industry Leader of the Year award.
Beyond the Sun
Las Vegas Sands Corp.Sheldon Adelson says that wherever he finds his fortunes around the globe, he's not forgetting Las Vegas.
Speaking Thursday at UNLV, the billionaire Las Vegas Sands chairman and CEO said the money he makes overseas would find its way back to his holdings here.
"Any company that is successful in other parts of the world benefits its core assets," Adelson said. "Las Vegas is a core asset. I'm never going to sell it. Because if I sell it, I'm giving away the keys to my kingdom."
On a day when he addressed students in UNLV's hospitality and gaming program and later accepted an award from the Harrah Hotel College, Adelson said he was confident that Las Vegas Sands' $35 billion mini-Las Vegas Strip project in Spain would pay off. He said he expected the project to be completed in four years, and he predicted the European economy would be recovering at that time.
Accepting the Hospitality Industry Leader of the Year award from UNLV, Adelson said there was plenty of room for the Las Vegas model around the world.
"There is room for five to 10 Las Vegases," Adelson told the crowd at a dinner held in the ballrooms of his Venetian. "There is room for that many of these mega resorts and it still would not saturate the market."
Earlier, while speaking to students, Adelson emphasized the importance of taking risks. For example, Adelson said gaming industry experts told him he was unwise to take bets of $1 million per hand on baccarat in Singapore. He said it paid off as a marketing ploy to keep high rollers playing longer.
"Eventually the law of averages is going to play in my favor," Adelson said. "The cards, they don't know the size of the bet. They're going to fall the same way."
Looking farther back, he smiled as he remembered those who thought he was being overly risky in trying to lure conventions to Las Vegas. The city now depends on conventions to fill its hotel rooms.
He said too often entrepreneurs aren't willing to take the gamble to create an integrated resort — one with shopping, convention facilities, fine dining, gaming and other attractions. Frequently, he said, they are satisfied with just building a hotel.
But providing more than a room offers the answer to the survival of such places as Las Vegas, he said. It's the model that Las Vegas Sands has used to make record company revenues of $2.76 billion and net income of $490 million in the first quarter of this year.
"When you ask people why do you travel, they say to do sight-seeing and to do shopping," Adelson said following his talk with the students. "If you're not in a city or district or country where you can see ancient sights, you have to be in a place where you can do shopping and entertainment."
Adelson credited the integrated approach for allowing his company to boost its earnings while others in the industry are still recovering. Sands makes more money than Marriott, Intercontinental and Holiday Inn, HIlton and Starwood combined.
"We've only got eight or nine properties and they've got 12,000, why do we make more money?" Adelson said.
It's because of the diversification.
Two of the students in the audience, Xirui Yan and Hiele Wong, came to Las Vegas from China to study hotel management. Macau is where Adelson now makes most of his money.
But when they wanted to learn how the burgeoning industry in their country worked, they came to UNLV.
"They have a well-developed system here, and they bring it to Macau and make money off of it," said Yan, 22.
Kicking myself that I didn't pickup a few thousand shares of LVS at 1.75 a few years ago. Once Sheldon dumped 500 million of his personal cash into the company, that should have been my clue to buy. Ah, missed opportunities.
Wish he would finish construction on his "core asset". That cheesy building drape attempting to mask the former St. Regis project is quite the eyesore.
its interesting that when the media talk about Adelson he seems like a kook, but when he is quoted he seems very astute.
say what you will, he has made some good financial decisions.
i too, regret not buying a few thousand shares of stock...
UNLV has the best hotel hospitality school in the country and probably the world. It's business school is pretty well ranked. We should be proud of our local Universities.
Adelson would sell anything he owns to the Chinese...including his spare kidey! It's not that he needs the money...but like so many Icons of the super-rich....the DEAL is the addiction.
Mr. Adelson is an interesting man.
Many do not agree with his politics, his way of doing business or him in general.
He started with nothing and is now one of the richest men in the world. He does not ask for government bailouts. During tough times he put HIS money were his mouth is and kept HIS company a float and growing. He fought the mob (union) and won. He cut comps and his company has huge increases in business and profits when many here stated he would lose it all.
Many that claim to have common sense say he is going to fail at every turn yet everything he has done has turned to gold. I think his version of common sense is working just fine for him and the Ten's of Thousands he employees.
Yeah, he is an interesting man alright. However, he can't run away from his history. He should tell those students how he stiffed the original contractors of the Venetian and forced many of these small business men into bankruptcy. He should talk about all of the law suits against him for illegal business practices over his time in the casino business. He will only be interesting for as long as he is tolerated by the communist Chinese regime.
I'm glad he Is Wealthy, he took risks and deserves his status. Laws should also be changed that he pays his fair percentage of taxes.
His Property is always attractive, spotless and inviting.I do spend a little there, I like the property better than Wynn's who is heading into a Techno Bop twenty-somethings direction.
Adleson's Politics are eccentric in that He wants to make the U.S. subservient to Israel, regardless of how warring their Government is. If he wants a War with Iran - let Him pay for it.
EVERYTHING is for sale.
"Trust me.". Why is it that when I hear declarations like this I become skeptical. Adelson is an old man. If he keeps his Las Vegas assets it has as much to do with his status as a creature of habit as it does to financial prudence and opportunity. How much more money does he need?
No offense,but Mr Adelson is 80-something years old. Makes you wonder what his passing would bring? It's not like his name is on the place ,like Mr Wynn.
If he were to sell his resort in Las Vegas, who cares? I don't.
Sell the Peasants the Dream. Show them a Fantasy for a couple of days. That's the lesson here in Vegas.
How nice for you Mr. Adelson. Enjoy your money while you can. And to whom will you leave this empire? What will your legacy be?
newnvres (Ben Lambert): "His Property is always attractive, spotless and inviting.I do spend a little there"
I agree, both the Venetian and the Palazzo are good looking, clean and inviting. Personally, I won't set foot in either or give him a dime (I wish other locals would have the same common sense) until (1) he pays his fair share of taxes, (2) he understands that the US should be more than Israel's protectorate "big brother," and (3) you are correct: "If he wants a War with Iran - let Him pay for it."
Memento mori, Sheldon.
Very soon this will cease to matter to you.
What a pompous, egomaniac jagoff. His kingdom??? Who does he think he is? Nevermind, I know the answer to that.
So his "subjects" had to give him an award at a function in his own hotel? Do us all a favor Shelly, sell your Las Vegas properties and get the hell out of this town. This guy is a disgrace to Las Vegas and the USA, siding up to his communist buddies in China. The Las Vegas version of kim jong il.