Casino Empires Clash on Macau Cotai Strip

A new casino opening in Macau brings gaming competition and perhaps a return to the gambling resort escalation race.

Before the recession hit and gaming expansion plans went south, Las Vegas Sands officials envisioned a gambling district in Macau rivalling the Las Vegas Strip, the Cotai Strip. Economic conditions caused the delay of some plans and the abandonment of others, but now a casino consortium is opening a new resort by the Sands Venetian Macau, perhaps renewing expansion races.

The City of Dreams Casino and Resort will open tomorrow as the second giant gaming complex on Cotai, located about five miles from the historic Macau gambling district. The gambling center is co-owned by Australian James Packer of Crown Casinos and Lawrence Ho, son of one-time Macau gaming monopolist Stanley Ho.

The venture brings both challenges and opportunities for Sands and its established casino. While the Venetian may have to fight to retain customers from the luxurious new hotel, it also may revisit plans to develop restaurant and retail space in anticipation of a gaming boom on Cotai.

Sands officials had canceled plans, and actually placed the real estate up for sale, as it seemed financial conditions would scuttle the development of Cotai.

"If the ambition is to turn Cotai into the new Las Vegas Strip, Macau needs City of Dreams to succeed," Billy Ng, a casino-industry analyst with JPMorgan, told the Wall Street Journal.

Even Sands majority owner Sheldon Adelson said he welcomed the new casino as another reason for tourists to visit the area.

"Macau is a big gaming market. The more action there is, the better it is for everyone," said Hamish Dodds, CEO of Hard Rock International.