Thousands of people queued for hours to see inside Asia’s newest shopping centre and casino – The Venetian Macao
A day of ceremonies preceded a glittering finale featuring a series of Asian pop divas, a breathtaking display by a troupe from Cirque de Soleil and Diana Ross. Then, while the concept’s founder Sheldon Adelson and his executive team formally fired off a string of ceremonial firecrackers inside the complex’s 15,000 seat arena, tens of thousands of locals outside watched a spectacular fireworks display that lit the night sky above this tiny Chinese Special Administrative Region.
And moments later, the first bets were placed on the 546,000sqft gaming floor which features 6000 slot machines and over 800 gaming tables.
The Venetian Macao is an expanded replica of the famous Las Vegas gaming, retail and entertainment complex in the US. Besides boasting the biggest gaming floor in Macao, a traditional casino region in Asia, it has 3000 all-suite hotel rooms, one million square feet of convention and meeting facilities, an 1800 seat theatre, more than 30 fine dining restaurants. It will soon have 350 shops trading in what is Macao’s first enclosed shopping mall.
It’s the retail precinct that has captured the attention of Australians – indeed most of the leasing executives and retail management originate from Australia.
One of them is Scott Sullivan, GM of mall development with the company, who has spent the last two years overseeing the design, construction and leasing of the 350 shops, many of which line one of three canals in the complex, each with its own authentically reproduced Venetian gondolas.
“It feels pretty good,” Sullivan told Inside Retailing Online a short time after the ribbon was cut in St Mark’s Square and the first stores’ doors opened to customers – mainly some 1200 international news media invited to the occasion.
“We had a target of 130 stores trading by today and we made it.”
More stores will open progressively in coming weeks – one of the delays for tenants has been finding qualified shop fitters as Macao has not previously been renowned for its shopping facilities. The Grande Canal Shops, as the complex’s shopping precinct is known, is bigger than any single mall in Hong Kong, a one hour ferry ride away.
About 40 of the tenants are new to Asia – and at least one Australian company – Boost Juice – has taken space. Others range from fast fashion brands Bossini and Zara through to Versace, jeweller Mikimoto and Tiffany.
This is just the beginning of a grand $US12 billion project which Adelson admits came to him in his sleep. Reportedly the US’ 8th richest man with a net worth of $30 billion, Adelson is seeking to recreate the famous Las Vegas Strip in Macao on a strip of reclaimed land joining the islands of Coloane and Taipa. His company has successfully registered the trade marks ‘Asia’s Las Vegas’ and ‘The Cotai Strip’.
By 2010, when this gargantuan project is complete, the strip will host 20,000 hotel rooms under the Hilton, Conrad, St Regis, Fairmont, Shangri-La, Sheraton and Four Seasons brands.
A second shopping centre is already under construction – which will house super luxury brands and be attached to the Four Seasons. A third is already being leased and more will follow.
Sullivan is now actively seeking shopping centre executives with a minimum of five years experience from Australia to help run the malls. |
World Casino Directory 
Gambling Forums 
