This article first appeared in the Sep/Oct 2016 issue of WGM.
Just a few weeks after Wynn Palace learned it would receive far fewer gaming tables than its rivals, WGM was among the first in the world to enjoy a peek inside Wynn’s US$4.2 billion Macau resort. Tables or not, it seems Mr Wynn has plenty to be pleased about.
If Steve Wynn feels in any way worried by the government’s decision to award Wynn Palace far fewer new gaming tables than hoped, he’s certainly not showing it.
Barely two weeks after learning his latest venture had been allocated just 150 new tables – 100 less than both Galaxy Phase 2 and Studio City received in 2015 – the casino mogul officially launched his spectacular US$4.2 billion Cotai resort in August in a lavish opening ceremony full of all the pomp and glamor he has become famous for over the years.
“If I have one observation to make,” Mr Wynn enthused when asked about the significant financial outlay it took to realize his Wynn Palace dream.
One of the five luxurious Garden Villas at Wynn Palace
“It’s no secret that this place cost more than US$4 billion – an incredibly large number – so for it to be arguably the most beautiful hotel in the world is a wonderful thing to be able to say. I’ve been around the world and I believe it to be true. And it’s not in New York or London or Paris or Rome – it’s in the People’s Republic of China in the Special Administrative Region of Macau.
“The most beautiful hotel in the world sits here now for all the world to come and see. It’s our gift to the community, to the public.
“I think it will turn out to be a fine business investment and it will be here forever. And it’s unlikely that we will see a place of this scope and artfulness in our lifetimes again.”
That much is true. Quite aside from the huge Performance Lake that greets guests upon their arrival at the front of the property, Wynn Palace is very much about luxury with its 1,706 hotel rooms and 14 restaurants and bars all beautifully appointed – albeit with the very best saved for the most affluent visitors.
It is the property’s artwork that is most prominent, however, with almost every wall or table throughout Wynn Palace adorned with some grand piece of art – around US$150 million worth. They include the giant steel sculpture Tulips by American artist Jeff Koons, which cost Mr Wynn US$33.7 million when purchased in 2013, as well as a quartet of Qing Dynasty Chinese vases worth US$13 million that will now call Wynn Palace’s retail mall home.
Fine dining restaurant Wing Lei Palace
“There are literally hundreds of pieces of Chinese and European art that have been collected and purchased over the past five years by our team to populate this building,” said Mr Wynn of the hotel’s interiors.
“Every hallway, every table has something on it. This hotel is a massive collection of Asian and European art. They are all very special. The notion of making this place a gallery of incredible art was one of the main thrusts of our interest and we took full advantage of the 60 or 70 months we had to do it.”
The hotel rooms are also highly impressive – none more so than Wynn Palace’s five Garden Villas. Spanning up to 8,000 square feet each, guests are welcomed by a marble-framed entryway that opens out into a luxurious living space with quarters off to each side – master bedroom and bar area on the right; second bedroom, pool table and media room on the left.
Each villa comes with its own private massage room, a Bang & Olufsen audio system, 85″ television, 24 hour personal butler service, a grand piano for the musically inclined and a bathroom of such supreme luxury you could happily get lost in there for a week.
Then, of course, there is the 45-metre swimming pool stretching straight out from the living room doors which provide that ultimate “wow” moment the second you step foot inside.
Which brings us to the matter of those much talked about gaming tables. Given the shortfall in tables is being made up by moving 250 of the company’s existing tables across from its Wynn Macau property on the peninsula, it’s worth noting that if the company does take a hit it won’t be from the Wynn Palace side of the bridge.
And it’s impossible to fault the facilities, with the shiny new main gaming floor providing an extravagant oasis for players across the spectrum – complete with air cushioned seats that help players stay cool during a long session.
Of the 350 tables Wynn Palace has opened with, Mr Wynn says only around “50 or 60” have been set aside for VIP play, although either way it is the property’s luxury amenities that he believes will draw visitors from afar, not the casino itself.
“Casinos are passive places, they have no power,” he said. “They are rooms with pieces of equipment that look the same no matter where you go in the world.
“They are filled with tables that have green felt on them with lines. If it is a roulette wheel it’s a red and black thing that spins. And in every place in the world they are all identical.
Wynn Palace’s floral theme includes a Ferris wheel comprising 103,000 flowers
“A casino’s value as a revenue source depends solely on how many people come through it. What’s dynamic in my business is the non-casino stuff. That’s what brings people from afar, to travel on planes and have their baggage checked. People travel on vacation to the great cities of the world to stay in hotels and go shopping and eat and experience the place.
“To call Wynn Palace a casino is not an accurate description of this place. Our goal is to ensure that people who come here have a wonderful time.
“I expect they will be impressed by the decorating – God knows we tried hard enough – but how you feel in this place, that’s the big part.
“Our job is to make you feel joyful here no matter how miserable you were before you arrived. Even if you were arguing with your wife or your girlfriend, you come to Wynn Palace and life is beautiful.”
