Sands China, Emperor Ent partner for shows at Londoner

Aug 14, 2023 Newsdesk Latest News, Macau, Top of the deck  

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Macau-based casino operator Sands China Ltd says it is partnering with Hong Kong’s Emperor Entertainment Group to produce what the gaming firm called “residency shows” for its The Londoner Macao resort (pictured).

The shows will take place at the property’s 6,000-seat The Londoner Arena.

Emperor Entertainment’s major businesses include production and distribution of music publishing, talent management and concert production. Artistes under its management include Nicholas Tse, Joey Yung, Hacken Lee, Leo Ku, Twins, Hins Cheung, William Chan, and Vincy, according to the firm’s corporate website.

Sands China said in a press release on Friday that the first residency show series under the partnership would be by Hong Kong artist Hacken Lee. It will kick off on September 29 and run until October 2, featuring a total of four concerts, according to the firm.

Sands China is controlled by U.S.-based casino operator Las Vegas Sands Corp.

The release quoted Wilfred Wong Ying Wai, president of Sands China Ltd, as saying that the partnership with Emperor Entertainment would draw people “from the region and beyond… to visit specifically to enjoy the residency shows”.

He added: “We view this first cooperation as just the beginning in terms of world-class performers being in residence at The Londoner Arena, and we will continue to bring more top-tier performers on board to support the development of the concert economy and the Macao government’s economic diversification strategy.”

Sands China stated in its press release that residency shows would be “custom-created” for each artist under Emperor Entertainment, “to take advantage of the impressive facilities” at The Londoner Arena.

Sands China is the latest Macau-based gaming operator to announce a partnership for arena-style events. Earlier this month, rival Galaxy Entertainment Group Ltd announced a “three-year strategic partnership” with Warner Music China involving the gaming firm’s Galaxy Arena, part of Phase 3 of casino resort complex Galaxy Macau on Cotai.

Casino operator Melco Resorts and Entertainment Ltd started in April a series of residency shows involving a number of artists and spread over a three-year period.

Sands China has pledged to the Macau government to invest MOP30.0 billion (US$3.73 billion) up to the 2032 end of its new concession, with MOP27.8 billion of that to go on “non-gaming projects that will also appeal to international visitors”.

As part of its concession commitments, the company plans to transform a 50,000 square-metre (538,196 sq-feet) garden next to The Londoner Macao, by adding a glass conservatory to create an “internationally unique garden-themed destination”.

The six Macau operators have as a whole pledged to the government to spend in aggregate a minimum of MOP108.7 billion on non-gaming and exploring overseas-customer markets during the fresh concessions. Collectively they will have to increase their pledged concession-related investment for the next decade by as much as 20 percent if citywide annual gross gaming revenue reaches MOP180 billion.

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