This article first appeared in the May/Jun 2010 issue of World Gaming magazine.
The Sands Casino was the first internationally-owned casino to enter the Macau casino market place. That was six years ago and the venture continues to be an overwhelming success.
The Sands Casino forms an important part of Macau’s recent history. Back in 2004 it was the first internationally owned casino to enter the Macanese casino landscape. It was the leading pioneer in a new age that saw Macau quickly cement itself as the gaming capital of the world. Las Vegas Sands took a gamble setting up in Macau and like many smart gambles this one paid off in a big way.
Sands casino
The major reason Sands in Macau worked was because the people behind it were smart enough to realise that it was never going to be as simple as plopping a Las Vegas-style casino in the middle of Asia. Yes, they understood the casino trade and how to run a tight ship but that was only one part of the mix needed to make this experiment work. The Sands venture had to fully understand a completely different market place to that of the US and even more importantly, they needed to understand what Asian gamblers were looking for.
Over the years Vegas has changed direction from its original concept and has basically become a holiday resort first, and a gambling mecca second. Macau is nothing like that, and purposely so. Entertainment, food, drink and girls are all important distractions but make no mistake – the people that come to Macau are primarily looking to gamble. Sands understood this from the start and they have made sure that the gaming side of the operation is always taken care of and their clients receive the service they expect.
The Sands managed to pull off quite a delicate feat which was to combine the glitz and the glamour of a Las Vegas casino with the charm and traditional feel of Chinese culture. Walking around the Sands Casino is a uniquely Asian experience. It has a different feel to a western casino and that is what makes it so special.
The other thing that the Sands did was to sell their brand name from the start. I can remember the first time I caught the ferry across from Hong Kong and my first impression of Macau was the bright red lights of the Sands. Other casinos like the Grand Lisboa and the Venetian are already iconic landmarks in Macau but they all came after the Sands. Those red lights will always be recognisable to visitors that have made the ferry journey to Macau over the last six years.
Centre stage at the Sands
Casinos come and casinos go. The imploding of casinos is something Las Vegas has used to attract visitors to the city. Macau hasn’t started blowing up their old casinos yet but the time will come when they will upgrade from the old to the new. Some Las Vegas Casinos age well and some don’t. There is no way to describe why this happens; it’s just the way it goes. Sands might have been the first of the new age of casinos to have been built in Macau but it certainly won’t be the first to go. It is one of those casinos that like a good red wine, gets better with age. Its décor is still fresh and clean, its restaurants are still classy, its gaming area and main stage still look cutting edge and overall there is a modern and fresh feel. They continue to do a great job at the Sands and you have to be impressed with the people behind the scenes who keep it this way.
There will be many more great casinos built in Macau in the future. The one thing that will never change is the impact the Sands Casino has had on the world of gaming and the international casino industry. I urge any visitor to Macau to go and check out the Sands. Not only is it a part of history it is still one of the best run and most enjoyable casinos to spend time in while in Macau.
