GGRAsia – 75pct of Resorts World Las Vegas rev to be non-gaming: exec

75pct of Resorts World Las Vegas rev to be non-gaming: exec

Dec 10, 2019 Newsdesk Latest News, Top of the deck, World

Management at the under-construction Resorts World Las Vegas casino resort expects that after launch around three quarters of overall property revenue will be generated by non-gaming sources. That is according to Resorts World Las Vegas president Scott Sibella.

The scheme (pictured in an artist’s rendering) is being developed in the Nevada, United States gambling hub by Malaysian conglomerate Genting Bhd.

“We’re forecasting that when we open this property, perhaps 75 percent of our revenue will be from the non-gaming side,” Mr Sibella said in an interview with media outlet Vegas Inc, published on Monday.

He added: “You have to think differently and design differently, because not everyone is going to want to gamble. It’s a different way of thinking than it was years ago.”

In his comments, Mr Sibella confirmed that Resorts World Las Vegas would not be an Asian-themed property, as previously promoted. “But it will have a lot of Asian inspiration when it comes to the design inside, art, the colour palletes and floors,” he added.

Mr Sibella said Genting was only using around two thirds of its available 88-acre (35.6-hectare) land plot in Las Vegas for the Resorts World Las Vegas scheme. The rest would be “for future development”, he stated.

Genting confirmed in a November release a US$4.3-billion budget for the Resorts World Las Vegas scheme. It said at the time the property was likely to open in the “summer 2021”.

The announcement said the gaming facilities would feature a “next-generation 110,000-square-foot [10,219 sq-metre] casino complete with slots, table games, high-limit gaming areas, private gaming salons, dedicated poker room, and a 14,000-sq-ft entertainment zone, which includes a race and sports book and featured live entertainment.”

No information was given at the time about specific numbers of tables and slots for the casino.

The property is to feature two towers housing a total of 3,500 guest rooms.

Mr Sibella, a former MGM Grand president and chief operating officer, is one of several ex-MGM Resorts International executives hired for the scheme.

In January it was announced that a legal row with market rival Wynn Resorts Ltd about the look of the new property – and that threatened to stop work on the Resorts World Las Vegas casino resort – had been settled.