MACAO, Sept. 21, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Sands China's Cotai Strip® development
was beautifully aflame in celebration Thursday evening, as the
integrated resort city introduced to Macao the latest additions at
Sands® Cotai Central, led by the launch of Sheraton
Macao Hotel, Cotai Central, which has the double distinction of
being the largest hotel for both Macao and Starwood Hotels & Resorts
Worldwide, Inc.
To view the multimedia assets associated with this release,
please click
http://www.multivu.com/mnr/58010-sands-cotai-central-celebrates-second-phase-opening
(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120921/MM70961 )
Sands China Ltd. (HKSE: 1928), a majority-held subsidiary of
global integrated resort developer Las Vegas Sands Corp. (NYSE:
LVS), opened Sands Cotai Central's second phase Thursday – which
also includes new restaurants and retailers, as well as a new
Polynesian-themed gaming area – with a series of exciting
events.
A 10:00 a.m. press conference gave
media a chance to ask questions of key executives in attendance,
including Las Vegas Sands Corp. and Sands China Ltd. Chairman
Sheldon G. Adelson and Starwood
Hotels & Resorts President and Chief Executive Officer Frits
van Paasschen.
In his opening remarks to the gathered media before the Q&A
session, Sands China Ltd. President and Chief Executive Officer
Edward Tracy said, "It's been an
honour for our team to lead Sands China Ltd. as we all witness the
realisation of Mr. Adelson's vision of a fully integrated resort
city on the Cotai Strip development. We've come a long way from
that muddy swampland that Mr. Adelson first surveyed. And there
were plenty along the way who said it couldn't be done. But here we
are today, marking yet another grand achievement – the opening of
the second phase of Sands Cotai Central, featuring Sheraton Macao
Hotel – the largest Starwood property in the world, and
Macao's largest hotel."
Mr. van Paasschen also addressed
the media, saying, "We like to think of Sheraton as the world's
gathering place. Sheraton is the leading hotel brand in this region
and an ideal fit for this spectacular new hotel in Macao. And what a great combination:
Starwood's largest brand in the world's fastest growing hotel
market."
The local community was also involved in the day's festivities,
with a special kowhaiwhai pattern mural painting and puzzle-piecing
event on Level 3 of Shoppes Cotai Central. A traditional art form
of the indigenous Maori of New
Zealand, the beautiful kowhaiwhai pattern – called "kori"
and meaning "to flourish" – was painted and assembled as a mural in
collaboration with members of the Fuhong Society of Macao, a non-profit organization providing
occupational skills training and employment services to the
mentally challenged. Symbolising togetherness, the event was also
attended by Dr. Miriam Adelson, who
helped place the final piece of the pattern, along with
Qian Jin, President of Greater China, Starwood Hotels and Resorts
Worldwide, Inc.
Red carpet arrivals at the evening's ceremonial opening of
Sheraton Macao included Chief Executive of Macao Special
Administrative Region Chui Sai On, government officials, company
executives from Sands and Sheraton, international film star Zhang
Ziyi, and the stars of the hit reality TV show The Voice of
China.
At the evening's main ceremonial event, Maori Haka and Tahitian
dancers performed at Sheraton Macao's lantern-lit Jaya pool deck,
followed by the seating of the attending dignitaries. A large
goddess-accompanied heliosphere then delivered a ceremonial flame
to a waiting dancer on the stage. After passing the flame to the
dignitaries gathered on stage, a line was ignited, carrying the
flame up to light fiery logos of Sands Cotai Central and Sheraton,
on the facade of Sheraton Macao's Sky tower – setting off a huge,
choreographed pyrotechnic display that included fireworks
illuminating all the Sands China properties of the Cotai Strip
development: Sands Cotai Central, The Venetian®
Macao and The Plaza™ Macao. Seven structures in total were lit by
the display, first in sequence, and then altogether in unison for
the spectacular grand finale.
After watching Cotai's biggest fireworks show ever, the first
5,000 visitors to the property received commemorative gold coins
marking the historic occasion, distributed from various locations
within Sands Cotai Central.
About Sands® Cotai Central
Launched in 2012, Sands® Cotai Central is the centre
point of the Cotai Strip® – the pathway to adventure,
fun and fortune. Featuring three celebrated hotel brands – Conrad,
Sheraton and Holiday Inn – Sands Cotai Central offers visitors to
the Cotai Strip an expanded offering of affordable luxury available
nowhere else in Macao, with
approximately 6,000 hotel rooms and suites, and 1.2 million square
feet (111,000 square metres) of retail, entertainment and dining
facilities, and meetings and convention space. With nearly 100
retail outlets, Shoppes Cotai Central joins Shoppes Grand Canal and
Shoppes at Four Seasons to offer a total of over 600 luxury
duty-free stores to choose from – the most in any one single
location in all of Macao. And with
two spas, three health clubs and 300,000 square feet (28,000 square
metres) of gaming space in two, uniquely-themed gaming areas, Sands
Cotai Central provides a new level of luxury and accessibility to
the Cotai Strip*. For more information, please visit
www.sandscotaicentral.com.
* All numbers based on completion of all phases of development
in early 2013.
About Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. is one of the
leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with 1,112
properties in nearly 100 countries and 154,000 employees at its
owned and managed properties. Starwood is a fully integrated owner,
operator and franchisor of hotels, resorts and residences with the
following internationally renowned brands: St. Regis®,
The Luxury Collection®, W®,
Westin®, Le
Meridien®, Sheraton®, Four
Points® by Sheraton, Aloft®, and
ElementSM. The Company boasts one of the industry's
leading loyalty programs, Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG), allowing
members to earn and redeem points for room stays, room upgrades and
flights, with no blackout dates. Starwood also owns Starwood
Vacation Ownership, Inc., a premier provider of world-class
vacation experiences through villa-style resorts and privileged
access to Starwood brands. For more information, please visit
www.starwoodhotels.com.
SOURCE Sands China Ltd.
