Lap of Luxury
• MGM Cotai , Macau •
MGM Cotai opened in February 2018 in Macau , but it was not a finished product at that time . Over the last 18 months , a $ 100 million theater , additional restaurants , VIP gaming areas and other non-gaming amenities were added to the mix .
But it wasn ’ t until the Mansion fully opened in early 2019 that the facility began hitting on all cylinders . Like its cousin in Las Vegas , the Mansion caters to the highest of the high rollers . As in Las Vegas , you won ’ t find it on a map of the property .
The Mansion in MGM Cotai is tucked away to avoid prying eyes and assure privacy for its special guests . It features 27 ultra-luxury villas ranging in size from 215 square meters to 570 square meters each . They all come with dining lounges , balconies and separate entrances , and elevators for direct access to the rooms .
MGM Resorts Chairman and CEO James Murren explained that , with the Mansion open , the company is becoming a major player in the premium-mass market in Macau .
“ We needed to get everything up and running ,” Murren told investors in conference call . “ The Mansion is now online and all the villas are now available , so we ’ re getting really positive responses for that . And that ’ s now allowed us to move into another segment that we ’ ve really not been able to penetrate ( in the past ). The progress of adding value to that segment is actually going well .
“ In excess of 20 percent of the ( premium-mass ) business for the quarter is directly attributed to the Mansion as new business , so that ’ s really the critical point for us .”
The property ’ s CEO , Grant Bowie , says the Mansion has special significance for the property . “ We are excited to see the ramping up of MGM Cotai ,” he said . “ The Mansion offers exclusive luxury to the next level and helps us be better-positioned in the premium segment .”
Murren said the company will continue to grow its premium mass segment while also boosting its Macau market share . According to analysts , MGM China took its share to 10.2 percent in the third quarter of 2019 , up from 9 percent in the previous quarter and just 7 percent a year ago .
“ Once you start getting towards the main summit , it starts to build , and we ’ re starting to see continued strength in that premium-mass business coming into the fourth quarter ,” Murren said . “ There ’ s still some business transitioning out of VIP to mass , but really what we ’ re focused on is making sure that the product is right .”
MGM Cotai continues to receive international kudos on its design . The Kohn Pedersen Fox-designed building won the top spot in the annual Emporis Skyscraper Award program ; MGM Cotai , the enormous $ 3.4 billion casino-hotel-resort in Macau , designed in collaboration with Wong
Tung & Partners Ltd ., was selected by the jurors as the best new tall building . The judges cited the building ’ s “ innovative design .” “ The unique structure is based on the idea of nine Chinese jeweler ’ s boxes stacked upon each other , forming two interconnected towers ,” they stated . “ The asymmetrical design and golden coloring create a dynamic and glamorous appearance , which fits the atmosphere of Macau .
“ MGM Cotai also offers the ‘ Spectacle ,’ a multi-functional area with the world ’ s largest free-span , grid-shaped glass roof .” — Patrick Roberts
WHAT : MGM Cotai OWNER : MGM China SIZE : 35 Stories , 1,400 rooms and suites , 200,000-square-foot casino BUDGET : $ 3.4 billion OPENED : February 2018 ARCHITECTS : Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates , Wong Tung & Partners Ltd . Art direction in the Mansion by MMAD
6 CASINO STYLE 2019