"That wasn’t ever discussed." That’s what MGM Mirage spokesman Alan Feldman once told me, regarding the possibility of his company going into Macao sans Pansy Ho, eldest daughter of Stanley Ho. Now, Glenda Korporaal reports in The Australian that, were anything adverse to be uncovered in the Nevada Gaming Control Board’s prolonged investigation of Pansy Ho, it would queer the pitch in Las Vegas for brother Lawrence Ho, as well.
While the story mostly rehashes well-known material, it does remind one that the PBL/Melco duo of Lawrence Ho and James Packer has been nibbling around the fringes of the Las Vegas Strip. One tip had them putting $300 million into the New Frontier (although I think Phil Ruffin’s going to need a good deal more than that to achieve his dreamt-of megaresort), another saw them kicking the tires of some of Steve Wynn’s projects. Either way, if Pansy gets the thumbs-down, that’s probably pretty much it for Lawrence, at least as far as being a player in the Vegas resort scene is concerned.
Meanwhile, Genting International and its Star Cruises seem to be backpedaling as fast as they can from reports that Stanley Ho would have a piece of the action in Genting’s Sentosa Island integrated resort, in Singapore. Star’s end of the deal is reported as being a boutique casino in Macao, operating under the vast umbrella of Ho’s SJM, presumably. This drew the attention of Singapore’s government and an investigation was threatened.
Star, which owns a quarter of the Sentosa project, insists that while Stanley Ho will be a shareholder, he won’t get any Sentosa-derived lucre. Hmmmmm … how do you split that baby? It sounds like sophistry to me, and the Singaporean government must still consider the possibility that Stanley Ho will be a backdoor participant in the city-state’s casino revenues.
Meanwhile, back in Macao: The son of Dr. Evil continues to be source of civic embarrassment, particularly with international focus turning back toward North Korea … Taubman Centers is going all in on Macau Studio City, saying of analysts’ fears, "Bubble, shmubble" (or words to that effect). Taubman Asia Ltd. President Morgan Parker does seem to be talking out of both sides of his mouth when says that a great deal of the projected Macanese retail won’t get built. Sounds like a "bubble" after all. Ether way, good luck to them … Also sensing an opportunity, Global Cash Access has opened its first intenational office, in Macao.
In the wake … of a study that documents a disturbingly high prevalence of gambling addiction in California comes follow-up coverage of problem-gambling treatment in the state. The conclusions? A) The state’s tribal casinos are providing the lion’s share of treatment financing and B) it’s still but a drop in the bucket. A fair amount of disturbing behavior is reported, including players who wear adult diapers so they can evacuate without leaving the comfort of their slot stool. Ewwwww!
That’s even grosser than the woman who went into labor on the casino floor of Resorts Atlantic City. (I see a new casino-marketing promo in the making: "Free buffet if you have your baby at our casino!") Seriously, people: When you can’t even control your slot jones long enough to take a leak or pop out a newborn, you need to ring up Arnie Wexler at 1-800-LAST-BET … or at least have your head examined.
