The Macau Metro Monitor, June 8th, 2010

MACAU GOVERNMENT PROPOSES SMOKING BAN IN CASINOS AFTER 3 YEARS Macau News

"The government has agreed to impose a smoking ban in casinos in three years' time," quoted the Macau Post Daily.  Although the general outline of the anti-tobacco bill was unanimously passed by the legislature in January, a new version of the bill proclaims that the entire casino, including sauna parlours, massage parlours, and ballrooms should be non-smoking.  The Second Standing Committee of the Legislative Assembly is expected to receive the revised bill as soon as next week.  The three-year transition period would start after the anti-tobacco law's promulgation in the Official Gazette.


MARINA BAY SANDS PROJECT TO BE COMPLETED 1ST QUARTER 2011-EXECUTIVE WSJ.com

MBS CEO Thomas Arasi said at GGE Asia that the MBS project will be completed by the 1st Quarter of 2011.  Arasi mentioned the good balance of mass market gamblers and high-rollers so far. He also said the average length of stay for visitors at MBS' hotel was 4.5 nights, compared with the average 3.8 nights in the Singapore market.

AIRPORT LOSING PASSENGERS macaubusiness.com

Macau International Airport (MIA) handled a total of 330,407 passengers in May, a YoY decrease of 1.65%.  This was the third month in a row in which the airport lost passengers on a YoY comparison basis.


CHUI WIDENS MACAU'S NET Intelligence Macau

CEO Chui recently announced he was working on setting up flights from cities in Eastern Guangdong such as the coastal city, Shantou. If flight connections are established, IM believes this would be a positive for VIP rooms and premium-mass tables.

RIVIERA ALMOST SOLD OUT: SPEYMILL macaubusiness.com

Speymill Macau Property Company plc announced it has almost sold out all its units at the Riviera complex. Of the 259 units it owns, Speymill Macau still has 27 unsold apartments in its two Riviera towers.  As of June 5, 2010, the actual total net proceeds received, after deduction for discounts and commissions, from the sale of the units including deposits and final payments amounted to HK$687.0 million—equating to ~$380,000 USD per unit.