Macau Casinos

With the opening of the Sands Macau, the largest casino in the world as measured by total number of table games, in 2004 and Wynn Macau in 2006, gambling revenues from Macau's casinos were for the first time greater than those of Las Vegas (each about $6 billion), making Macau the highest-volume gambling centre in the world. Other casinos and hotels slated to be opened through 2009 are: The Venetian Macao (2007), Four Seasons (2007), MGM Grand Macau (2007), Ponte 16 (2007), Far East Consortium Complex (2007), Grand Hyatt (2007), Galaxy Cotai Megaresort (2008), City of Dreams (2008), Oceanus (2008), Mandarin Oriental (2009). The first Phase of Macao's Cotai Strip is scheduled to open in 2007 and will include 19,000 guest rooms throughout seven resort hotels, with the $1.8 billion Venetian Macao serving as the anchor. The head of Virgin Group, Sir Richard Branson, is in the latter stage of negotiation to secure land in Macau, where he is going to set up a US$3 billion casino resort complex. As a result, Macau's economy is growing rapidly due to gambling related tourism and construction from the new casino entrants.