Casino news source: Norwich Bulletin - http://www.norwichbulletin.com
Foxwoods officials, locals not worried about Chinese casino's claim it's the biggest
By ED DUNN
Norwich Bulletin
NORWICH -- Foxwoods Resort Casino is being undermined by a competitor half a world away, although that should have no bearing on the success of Eastern Connecticut's popular gaming facility.
The Sands Macao in the People's Republic of China claims to be the world's largest casino -- a title Foxwoods also claims and uses as part of its advertising.
But Foxwoods spokesman Bruce MacDonald said the casino, owned and operated by the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation, was not much concerned with Sands Macao's claim.
"We concentrate on quality, not quantity," MacDonald said. "We focus on what we do, and at what we do we are the best."
Even if the claim were true, Sands Macao -- located near Hong Kong in the South China Sea, 12,000 miles from Foxwoods -- won't be competing for Foxwoods' clientele.
The Sands Macao, with 227,000 square feet of gaming space, opened in 2004 and is the first Western-operated casino in Asia. It is run by Las Vegas Sands. The Venetian Macao is under construction there and is scheduled to open in the fall.
Ranked third
The Venetian, with 600,000 square feet, will dwarf the Sands -- and actually may rival Foxwoods -- which has 340,000 square feet of gaming space -- as the largest casino in the world.
Right now, though, it looks as though the 227,000-square-foot Sands Macao is, at best, the world's third largest casino -- behind Foxwoods and Eastern Connecticut's other Indian-owned casino, Mohegan Sun, which has 300,000 square feet of gaming space.
Of the claim by Sands Macao that it is the largest casino, Eugene Somera, 25, of Norwich said, "I couldn't care less about it."
Paul Ulm, 34, of Norwich felt the same way.
"Foxwoods considers itself the biggest casino in the hemisphere. The other casino shouldn't hurt it," Ulm said.
Tables vs. machines
Scott Fisher, managing director of the Innovation Group, gaming and leisure consultants in New Orleans, was diplomatic in assessing the claim of "world's largest."
"Sands Macao is probably the biggest casino in the world for gaming space (gaming tables). But it's smaller in square footage as a resort and in slot machines than Foxwoods."
Macau is on track to become the Las Vegas of Southeast Asia, a venue that is largely virgin territory for casinos.
The Galaxy Waldo Macau is in place. Under construction or in the planning are the Venetian, the Wynn Macau, StarWorld, Cotai Mega Resort and the MGM Grand Macau.
Despite that activity, MacDonald said Foxwoods was not much concerned with Sand Macao's boasts.
"I can't believe such a claim would mean anything," he said. |
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