The Macau Metro Monitor, July 10, 2012
SINGAPORE COLLECTS S$93 MILLION IN 1ST-HALF CASINO ENTRY LEVIES BusinessWeek
According to Josephine Teo, Minister of State for the Finance Ministry, Singapore collected S$93 million ($73 million) from entry levies placed on locals visiting the city’s two casinos in 1H 2012. The entrance fee of S$100 a day or S$2,000 annually from citizens and permanent residents amounted to S$195 million in 2011, Teo said in Parliament.
WEIDNER SEEKS RAPID APPROVAL OF MATSU CASINO Taipei Times
Weidner Resorts Taiwan, a company run by former Venetian Casino Resort CEO Bill Weidner, said it planned to invest about NT$60 billion (US$2 billion) to build a casino resort on the Matsu archipelago and upgrade airports and other infrastructure necessary to realize the project. Weidner Resorts Taiwan, which would have to win the bid for the development project once the legislature gives its go-ahead, aims to spend NT$30 billion establishing a giant casino resort with 2,000 hotel rooms, shopping malls, international conference centers, theme parks and other recreational facilities, Weidner said.
Weidner said his company would spend NT$12 billion upgrading the airport in Beigan from its current 2C classification to 3C, so that it would be able to accommodate larger aircraft and have fewer abortive flights caused by seasonal thick fog.
Only 5% of the planned resort would be devoted to gaming facilities, Weidner added.