This article first appeared in the Nov/Dec 2016 issue of WGM.
Macau’s newest integrated resort, The Parisian, opened for business last month – its mass market focus belied by a glitzy launch party attended by international celebrities and VIPs.
Ernest Hemingway once wrote, “If you are lucky enough to have lived in Paris, then wherever you go for the rest of your life, it stays with you, for Paris is a moveable feast.”
Indeed, the city’s lifestyle and its residents’ attitude are what make it so unique. Whether it is enjoying a glass of wine while reading a book at the Jardin des Tuileries or sipping on a café au lait at a bistro, the notion of living life to the fullest exists in every corner of the legendary French capital.
To bring this joie de vivre to Macau, Sands China has delivered its latest ambitious venture, The Parisian. The integrated resort features a half-scale authentic recreation of the Eiffel Tower, 3,000 hotel rooms, a 1,200-seat theatre, themed water park and a shopping mall. On the Cotai Strip, the new landmark can be easily recognized from miles away. At the gate, the Parisian’s porte cochère takes its inspiration from Paris train station Gard du Nord and the Grand Palais great hall, while the pool deck has design elements from Marie Antoinette’s tower in Versailles.
A series of stage shows and a spectacular ceremony were all part of The Parisian’s opening night
The moment guests steps into the hotel’s lobby through the majestic gilded doors inspired by the Palais Garnier, they will notice the gleaming dome in the rotunda, fashioned after one of France’s most exquisite domes – the L’Hotel National des Invalides in the 7th arrondissement of Paris. Flanked by grand promenades of French limestone, marble and tromp l’oeil ceilings, the rotunda and its sparkling bronze and gilded Fontaine de Mers sets the mood for a mini French getaway.
Throughout the resort, guests are immersed in Parisian art and history. From the delicately rich jewel tones of the Louis XIV Versailles-inspired reception and concierge, to the reproductions of 17th and 18th century antique rugs, bronze and crystal chandeliers, furnishings, silk textiles and Chinoiserie porcelains, every detail celebrates the height of French decorative arts.
At the peak of the Parisian tower, 1930s-inspired Art Deco spaces reside, overlooking a sparkling Eiffel Tower – a symbol of French ingenuity and modernism. The Eiffel Tower recreation was built piece by piece with the latest technology, making it more sound and wind resistant than the original. Its stone floors were sourced from Xiamen and its steel was made in Shanghai. Overall, this nod to a turn of the century era pays homage to Paris, which is at once ancient and modern, sophisticated yet simple.
The Parisian’s story began on the evening of 13 September 2016, with pyrotechnics and a light show followed by a performance by multi-award-winning Belgian singer Lara Fabian. The opening festivities were broadcast live to curious locals and tourists watching from outside the hotel courtesy of live streams on all of Sands China’s large outdoor screens along the Cotai Strip.
“What started with a Venetian and now adds a Parisian to the family, the Cotai Strip has become one of the world’s greatest tourism marvels. Before our very eyes, Macau is making a similar transition to the one it took Las Vegas decades to make,” said Sands Chairman and CEO Sheldon Adelson.
The opening night celebrations concluded with a gala dinner featuring Hong Kong actress and pop star Karen Mok, who provided a memorable performance for guests.
Certainly the festivities defied the somewhat surprising news in the lead-up that The Parisian would receive only 100 new-to-market gaming tables – with 25 more in 2017 and again in 2018 – for its opening night. Then again, if anyone can absorb the lower than hoped for allocation it’s Sands, which boasts more than 1,500 tables across its Cotai properties – 310 of which were moved to The Parisian, giving it a total of 410 in time for launch.
Those 310 tables taken from its sister resorts comprise The Parisian’s substantial main gaming floor offering. VIP promoters Suncity, Guangdong/Neptune and Tak Chun have a combined 30 tables, all with betting minimums from HK$10,000 (US$1,285). The third floor Paiza area, which houses The Parisian’s junket operators, also has about 20 direct VIP tables plus 20 premium mass tables while the main level has 30 premium mass tables in the high limit area and adjacent Ruby Room, where croupiers claim a Macau exclusive on baccarat variant Punto Banco.
However, it is mass market that the Parisian boasts as its core business.
“We’ve always built for the mass. We didn’t start in the VIP market,” said Mr Adelson. “The mass market will always be there.”
As well as its 310 tables, the main gaming floor has well over 1,000 electronic gaming machine positions, including more than 350 in a stadium area with six live tables. Baccarat squeeze games – where players handle the cards – start from HK$200. The casino floor evokes the famous Versailles Palace.
Retail will again be a major focus for Sands’ latest venture, with the prestigious des Champs Élysées at Shoppes at Parisian transformed into a runway on opening night for an exclusive designer show. The event was attended by over 200 invited guests including local and regional key influencers, international media, celebrities and other VIPs.
Adding star power to the runway was one of the world’s top models, Xiao Wen, the first Chinese fashion model named as the face of Marc Jacobs. Xiao has also walked for leading fashion designers Hermès, Louis Vuitton, Prada, Rochas and Thierry Mugler.
Sheldon Adelson and wife Dr Miriam Adelson
Australian artist Kerrie Hess, who has been commissioned by Sands Shoppes to develop a series of exclusive illustrations, also attended. Hess has created illustrations for international fashion houses such as Chanel, Cartier, Kate Spade New York and Louis Vuitton, and her illustrations have featured in luxury fashion magazines including Vogue, Tatler and Harper’s Bazaar worldwide. The event, which included a cocktail reception and after party, showcased exclusive crystal looks from Swarovski.
“We’ve designed Shoppes at Parisian specifically to cater to shoppers who want to create their own styles by mixing and matching brands and designers rather than being tied to any one particular brand,” said Executive Vice President of Global Retail for Las Vegas Sands, David Sylvester.
“The target demographic is young, affluent visitors with a keen eye for cutting-edge fashion and the discretionary income to acquire pieces that reflect their lifestyle. It houses more than 170 boutiques that offer the latest in luxury fashion designer couture, global high street and lifestyle brands in an amazing setting beautifully recreating Paris’ famed shopping boulevards.”
Perhaps the most distinguished characteristic of The Parisian is its sense of style, taste and individuality. Although The Parisian here in Macau is only a recreation of the city of Paris, it does import some authentic elements of French cultural identity. The mere fact that we not only see brands like Chanel and Dior but edgy, hip names like Isabel Marant and Zadig & Voltaire popping up at this new property indicates that the shopping experience at Parisian is very close to what we would get if we actually flew to Paris.
With every “bonjour,” it might just be the beginning of a new Parisian lifestyle outside the French capital.
Eiffel Tower at The Parisian
Designed by architect and engineer Gustave Eiffel in 1889 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the French Revolution, the Eiffel Tower took over two years to complete. Nearly 127 years later and with more than seven million visitors annually, the Eiffel Tower has become not only the cultural icon of France, but one of the most recognized landmarks in the world.
Now Macau has its own version. Using steel construction rather than wrought iron and built at half the size of the original, the detailed recreation at The Parisian is a remarkable testament to the original. It boasts over 6,600 LED lights covering the façade and 26 kilometres of electrical cabling. There are two observation decks, located on Levels 7 and 37 where visitors can enjoy stunning views out over the city, while each night between 19:30 and 22:00 the structure will display a spectacular light show, accompanied by music, every 15 minutes.
The Eiffel Tower is also home to The Parisian’s fine dining restaurant La Chine, where Executive Chef Alex Gaspar combines regional Chinese favorites with French flair.
Already an eye-catching monument to Macau’s global reach, the Eiffel Tower at The Parisian stands as a shimmering beacon of the Cotai Strip.
