Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel eyeing gambling area

The Macau Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel is expected to open in the first quarter of next year, and the operator is considering applying for gambling tables, according to a hotel representative, Mr Aaron Iu.
“[Whether we will open a casino], we’ll reveal that later; we are now studying it. We also hope to develop in the direction towards a world center of tourism and leisure,” he said, responding to local media’s questions about the company. He is confident in gaining the authorities’ approval in setting up a gaming area within the hotel resort.
The hotel, aiming to resemble the iconic Roosevelt’s Hollywood heritage, is designed to contain hints of modern Hollywood flavor in its 12-storey tower. In a construction area of over 28,000 square meters, the hotel will offer 373 guest rooms with balconies, and four villas. It has also reserved a gaming area of over 5,000 square meters on the ground floor.
According to the design, above the ground floor there will be a spacious terrace, meeting rooms, the “Madhouse Theater,” a Chinese restaurant and coffee break areas with an open kitchen. The public areas also extend to the third floor, which is planned to contain a movie screening room, fitness center, kids club, as well as other recreational facilities.
“In addition, [the third floor] will have a private club and also an outdoor swimming pool, with a bar and poolside cabanas in a leisurely cozy environment providing an elegant and charming experience,” introduced Mr Iu.
Built on the Hollywood Boulevard in Spanish colonial style, the Roosevelt is known as the icon of Hollywood’s Golden Era. It famously hosted the first Academy Awards in 1929, and counted Marilyn Monroe among its famous guests.
Overlooking the sea and the neighboring Macau Jockey Club’s racing court, the new project, the Roosevelt Macau, is said to look up to its Hollywood namesake.  The  CEO, Christophe
Vielle of GCP Hospitality (which will manage the hotel), said during the topping out ceremony, in February, that the hotel would have “a modern take on Hollywood glam with a 1950s retro twist.”
With the construction expected to be complete within the year, the Roosevelt Macau launched a conceptual exterior design competition yesterday to invite local talent to participate.
The competition calls for local artists, professionals and students in the design sector to create solutions that define certain exterior areas in ways that complement the hotel’s original overall exterior design. Apart from participants with a Macau residence identity card, non-­students studying in the territory are also eligible to compete in the student category.
The joint organizers, including the Macau Designers Association, stated that, “The competition intends to recognize and honor local creative design talent; to encourage active public participation in urban development to make Macau Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel a distinctive resort; and to consolidate Macau as the hub of world tourism and leisure.”
“We believe Macau has many talented and competent people; it’s just that in the past there were few opportunities for them to play. This competition is a platform and opportunity for their artistic development,” said Mr Iu during the press conference. “Winners will not only have the opportunity to have their design realized but also [the opportunity for] future cooperation with us. This is only our first step,” he added.
The Macau Designers Association director, Mr Chao Sio Leong, also acknowledged that the government has actively pushed for Macau to develop its cultural and creative industries over recent years, but it has seen very little participation from corporations. “This competition will transform creativity into business opportunities, setting an example for Macau’s enterprises,” he said.
Macau’s Secretary for Economy and Finance, Lionel Leong, has been reaffirming the government’s intention to review gaming operators’ efforts in introducing non-gaming elements and driving the development of local small and medium-sized enterprises. These aspects will be taken into consideration when deciding whether or not to approve new gambling tables.

Hotel equipped with optical network

With the purpose of building the Macau Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel into the city’s first hotel that is fully covered by a fiber optic network, a hotel representative signed a contract with telecom service provider the China Comservice Macao Limited yesterday. Mr Aaron Iu stressed that they would provide a “five-star hotel, five-star experience,” without revealing the amount that is being invested in the facility.