Las Vegas Sands plans 6,000 rooms for Cotai area of Macau

The company plans to add more than 6,000 rooms there over the next two years, under tight supervision from the Chinese government. Though demand from tourists clearly exists, the government has pushed for slow, moderated growth and has told casino operators that they need to offer more than just gambling at their properties.

Adelson used a question about the subject of other amenities to push for more growth in Macau, and say that other operators want to follow him today, even though they didn't a few years ago.

When asked if he was getting guidance from the Macau government on how to integrate other amenities into casino-resorts, Adelson answered: “We're the guys who brought up the subject with the government. I've been saying that ever since we opened the Sands in 2004, that anybody that opens any property should be required to have a matrix of both gaming and non-gaming activities.”

Then he continued: “As my vision originally called for, the more critical mass we have in Cotai, the better. ... All the others are anxious to open up Cotai. I want to remind you that when I came up with the vision, it was a swamp and a bay. Nobody wanted the land. Now, everybody wants the land. I remember saying many years ago that I would even welcome Steve Wynn on Cotai to create some critical mass. And now that I've had dinner with Steve Wynn, I'd even welcome him more. So getting critical mass on Cotai is an important thing, and I see it happening.”