(Macao, April 11, 2012) – In a grand celebration filled with thrills, elegance and culture, Sands China Ltd. (HKSE: 1928), a majority-held subsidiary of global integrated resort developer Las Vegas Sands Corp. (NYSE: LVS), opened the doors on the latest milestone in the company’s vision for the Cotai Strip® Wednesday – Sands® Cotai Central. The massive, three-tower resort joins its sister Cotai properties to form an unprecedented fully integrated resort city, offering a uniquely diverse mix of accommodation, entertainment, dining, retail, gaming and MICE events. Sands Cotai Central now puts the millions of business and leisure travellers that visit Macao each year at the absolute centre of the Cotai Strip, providing pathways to adventure, fun and fortune.
“We are witnessing a historic moment with the opening of Sands Cotai Central,” said Las Vegas Sands Corp. and Sands China Ltd. Chairman Sheldon G. Adelson. “The Cotai Strip is the largest tourism project on the planet. And it all began with a vision that started with a reclaimed area of sand and mud and has arrived to where we are now – one giant step closer to establishing Macao as one of the world’s top leisure, entertainment and business destinations. People said it couldn’t be done; but we have shown that nothing is impossible. We made a promise to Macao to develop integrated resorts with non-gaming attractions to bring in a more diverse demographic of visitors; and that’s exactly what we’ve delivered.”
Edward M. Tracy, President and Chief Executive Officer of Sands China Ltd. remarked, “Our company’s goal is nothing short of firmly establishing Macao as Asia’s must-visit business and leisure destination. The opening of Sands Cotai Central goes a long way toward realising that goal, made possible on a multitude of levels because of our integrated resort model. Looking at accommodation as just one example, the addition of our approximately 6,000 new rooms and suites to the market represents a 26 per cent increase in Macao’s hotel capacity. And those 6,000 rooms represent a new diversity of accommodation offering on the Cotai Strip, opening the way for a much wider demographic of overnight visitor and meeting and convention attendee.”
Sands China has touted the long-anticipated opening of Sands Cotai Central as Asia’s Biggest Launch Party in 2012, and the company didn’t disappoint Wednesday, with an elaborate and impressive full day of ceremonial opening events. The morning saw the unveiling of the auspicious central feature of the resort’s Paradise Gardens –a 16-foot-tall, 5,500-pound bronze and gold God of Fortune statue. Designed and created by Professor Sun Jiabin, one of China’s top three most influential and reputable sculptors, the larger-than-life masterpiece is set amongst the 12,000-square-foot, 50-foot-tall indoor area of lush gardens, cascading waters and natural light, and is likely to become an iconic attraction and favoured stopping point for visitors looking to boost their luck.
Media representatives were taken on a celebrity mystery tour in the afternoon, in which some of Asia’s most well-known actors, musicians and models gave surprise interviews at various locations throughout the resort. The star-studded line-up of interviewees included Kuraki Mai, Park Min Young, Vivian Xu, Rene Liu, Richie Jen, Jaycee Jen, Kenny Bee, Annie Wu and Hey Girl.
The day’s earlier activities all led up to the event highlight – the 5 pm opening celebration. The China National Symphony Orchestra Choir gave a stirring performance, followed by a lion dance featuring colourful lions representing each of the three hotel brands of Sands Cotai Central – Conrad, Sheraton and Holiday Inn. Executives from the three hotels came together for a coin ceremony, while 500 feet overhead, sky walkers began carefully traversing the 1,700-foot distance between Sands Cotai Central and The Venetian® Macao, while balancing on a wire less than one-inch thick. Key executives and dignitaries, including Adelson and guest of honour Dr. Chui Sai On, Chief Executive of Macao SAR, participated in the culminating moment of the ceremony, bringing together a large golden traditional Chinese knot, which then ascended to the two sky walkers, who met in the middle of the wire to receive the now-complete knot, symbolising the union of both sides of the Cotai Strip.
Thousands of members of the public, who had been queuing outside during the ceremony, were given their first look inside the one-of-a-kind resort when doors opened at 6 pm.
The Sands Cotai Central celebrations don’t end after Wednesday though. Asia’s Biggest Launch Party continues with three consecutive nights of exciting live entertainment. The action-packed, star-studded weekend kicks off on Friday, April 13 with the prestigious Star TV 16th China Music Awards at the CotaiArena™, featuring China’s biggest pop music stars. Saturday night features The Venetian Macao Celebration Concert, which puts some of Hong Kong and Taiwan’s biggest pop music acts together on one stage at the CotaiArena – David Tao, Kai Ko, Edmond Leung, Fiona Sit, Khalil Fong and Grasshopper. And the world-class China National Symphony Orchestra performs at the newly-launched luxury Venetian Theatre on Sunday, April 15, accompanied by China’s top three tenors, Hong Kong Cantopop star Hacken Lee, Chinese female soprano Bing Bing Wang and Italian female mezzo-soprano Sonia Maria Fortunato, to close out the variety-filled weekend of A-list acts.
More information about Sands Cotai Central, including a booking platform, is available online at www.sandscotaicentral.com. Reservations can be made now for stays on April 13 and onward.
Photo caption: Executives and dignitaries celebrate the opening of Sands Cotai Central Wednesday. The newest Sands China integrated resort was opened to the public after a day-long series of celebratory events. From left to right: Mr. Antonio Ferreira Wu, Managing Director of Venetian Macau Limited; Mr. Edward Tracy, President and Chief Executive Officer of Sands China Ltd.; Mr. Liu Jianbo, Director-General of the Department of General Affairs of Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China in MSAR; Mr. Li Benjun, Deputy Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in MSAR; Dr. Chui Sai On, Chief Executive of Macau Special Administrative Region; Mr. Sheldon G. Adelson, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Las Vegas Sands Corp.; Dr. Miriam Adelson; Mr. Michael A. Leven, President and Chief Operating Officer of Las Vegas Sands Corp.; Mr. David Sisk, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Sands China Ltd.
Photo caption: A model of the Cotai Strip featuring Sands Cotai Central was displayed at a press conference today. From left to right: John Vanderslice, Global Head of Luxury & Lifestyle Brands, Hilton Worldwide, Mr. Edward Tracy, President and Chief Executive Officer of Sands China Ltd., Mr. Michael A. Leven, President and Chief Operating Officer of Las Vegas Sands Corp,, Mr. Sheldon G. Adelson, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Las Vegas Sands Corp., Dr. Miriam Adelson, Mr. Keith Barr, Chief Executive Officer, Greater China, InterContinental Hotel Group and Mr, Josef Dolp, Managing Director, Sheraton Macao Hotel, Cotai Central
Photo caption: A massive bronze and gold God of Fortune statue is unveiled at Sands Cotai Central’s Paradise Gardens Wednesday. The auspicious masterpiece is the creation of Sun Jiabin, one of China’s foremost sculptors. From left to right:Mr. David Sisk, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Sands China Ltd., Professor Sun, Jiabin, Mr. Edward Tracy, President and Chief Executive Officer of Sands China Ltd, Mr. Bowen Leung, Special Advisor to the Board of Sands China Ltd.
Photo caption: Husband and wife sky walkers Jade Kindar-Martin and Karine Mauffrey receive a ceremonial knot high above the ground, suspended on a wire between Sands Cotai Central and The Venetian Macao Wednesday. The two aerialists met in the middle of the 1,700-foot-long wire during the opening ceremony of Sands Cotai Central, to symbolise the union of the two sides of the Cotai Strip.
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About Sands® Cotai Central
Sands® Cotai Central is the centre point of the Cotai Strip® – the pathway to adventure, fun and fortune. Featuring three celebrated hotel brands – Conrad, Sheraton and Holiday Inn – Sands Cotai Central offers visitors to the Cotai Strip an expanded offering of affordable luxury available nowhere else in Macao, with approximately 6,000 hotel rooms and suites, and 1.2 million square feet of retail, entertainment and dining facilities, and meetings and convention space. With nearly 100 retail outlets, Shoppes Cotai Central joins The Grand Canal Shoppes and The Shoppes at Four Seasons to offer a total of over 600 luxury duty-free stores to choose from – the most in any one single location in all of Macao. And with two spas, three health clubs and 300,000 square feet of gaming space in two, uniquely-themed gaming centres, Sands Cotai Central provides a new level of luxury and accessibility to the Cotai Strip.