World-class entertainment expected to return to Macau

The return of world-class entertainment and sports events is imminent, Patrick Dumont, president and chief operating officer of Las Vegas Sands Corp. (LVS), said to the Times during a media roundtable event last Friday.

“We’re very excited about it. If you think about the investment we’ve made and you look at what the other concessionaires have invested in, you can see the transformation and creation of new tourism infrastructure in Macau. Macau is an excellent market. When you compare it to other global tourism hubs – both from an entertainment and business perspective – Macau has a multitude of assets that allow world-class events to be held.”

These comments were made in response to questions about the return of international events hosted in Macau in the past, and in particular in the Venetian Arena.

“You are going to see more investment from us, and I hope you see more investment from concessionaires in Macau. There is a lot of untapped potential and we are very excited about it.”

“We have a brand new arena for the NBA, but we are also going to do a lot of other things in that space,” Dumont noted. He echoed Grant Chum, CEO and president of Sands China Limited (SCL), who previously said that the Venetian Arena’s revamp ultimately will cater to more than sporting events, and is the “centerpiece” of the SCL’s new development strategy, which includes more sports, entertainment, and MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions).

Dumont and Chum both observed that since the inauguration of Venetian Macau, SCL has been at the forefront of entertainment. The company has hosted an impressive array of world-class events, including concerts from renowned artists such as Celine Dion, Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Katy Perry, Justin Bieber, and the Rolling Stones. It has also hosted top boxing matches between Manny Pacquiao, Brandon Rios, and Chris Algieri; tennis stars such as Pete Sampras, Roger Federer, and Andre Agassi; and shows such as “The Amazing Race Australia,” and Travis Pastrana Nitro Circus, to mention just a few.

The recent agreement with the NBA to bring preseason games to Macau for the next five years marks the NBA’s return to Macau since its inception in October 2007, when the Cleveland Cavaliers played the Orlando Magic in an exhibition match at the Venetian Arena.

The Venetian Arena: A key to economic diversification

The SCL’s investment of over USD200 million (MOP1.6 billion) to renovate the Venetian Arena is a pivotal element of SCL’s development strategy and aligns with the government’s “City of Sports” vision and other economic diversification strategies.

“As we look ahead over the next five to 10 years, we are fully aligned with the strategy to develop Macau as a city of sports and sports tourism. This partnership is a centerpiece of that strategy. We have invested heavily in the remake and remodeling of the Venetian Arena. This was done partly with the partnership in mind, but also as part of a larger strategy seeking to host international sporting events in this venue in the years to come. This is a very big commitment on our part to develop the ‘tourism + sports’ strategy. It is also a key part of the broader diversification of the Macau tourism landscape,” Chum said.