The Macau Metro Monitor, December 13th, 2010
SANDS SEEKS 'EQUITABLE SOLUTION' WITH GOV'T: LEVEN Macau Daily Times
Acting Sands China CEO, Michael Leven, has said that the company wants to work with the Macau Government to find an “equitable solution” regarding plots 7 and 8 on Cotai. Leven said the Government gave “no official reason” for rejecting the company’s request. "We want to better understand what happened. Why, how and now what can be done to reach a fair solution for all parties,” he said.
Regarding meeting Macau CEO Chui, Leven said neither he nor Adelson had met with him but confirmed that the company has requested a meeting. Also, according to Leven, a new Sands China CEO will not be confirmed by the year-end deadline.
Regarding sites 5 & 6, Leven said, “We still aim at opening the first phase in December next year, but probably just in a couple of months I can tell what we’ll open. The rest will be opened during 2012." For the Four Seasons apartments sale, it is still in the hands of the government. Leven reiterated that the request is not aimed at getting approval for the sale, but the authorisation to transfer it to a new limited company, in which holders can then sell shares.
Despite more Cotai competition, Sands China “will still be one of the major growth vehicles [in the territory], with plots 3, 5 and 6, especially after the completion of Galaxy Macau,” he added.
PACKAGE TOURS AND HOTEL OCCUPANCY RATE FOR OCTOBER 2010 DSEC
Visitor arrivals in package tours increased by 4.2% year-on-year to 396,310 in October 2010. Visitors from Mainland China continue to lead the pack with 274,805 or 69% of the total. 628,773 guests checked into hotels and guest-houses in October 2010, up 8.2% YoY.
VENETIAN, CLEANERS REACH AGREEMENT Macau Daily Times
According to the Labour Affairs Bureau (DSAL), Venetian has reached an agreement with 70 local cleaners regarding unequal wages. The Venetian told workers that the company will follow the initial plan which will see the operator increase perks and wages in the first half of next year for all personnel and review the internal management mechanism, such as the promotion system and distribution of tasks.
