Analysts confident in casino for Studio City

One unnamed analyst told English-language newspaper Business Daily: “The latest gazette entry mentions a five-star hotel and tourism facilities. There are other projects in Macau where that has been used as the basis for including a casino.”

Another person familiar with negotiating with the government told the same newspaper that, even under the revised land contract, there are other official avenues that can be pursued to ensure that Studio City includes a casino.

A source familiar with Melco Crown’s negotiations with the government told Portuguese-language Journal Tribuna de Macau that “everything indicates there will be a casino at Studio City”. The source failed however to elaborate, the newspaper reported.

According to this week’s Official Gazette, the Studio City plot, with an area of 130,789 square metres, is earmarked for the development of a five-star hotel, plus movie industry-related facilities.

Melco Crown officials have stated several times that the company is planning to include gaming facilities in the Studio City project.

Melco Crown bought a majority stake in the project last year. Since 2007 there was an agreement between the gaming operator and the previous shareholders, for Melco Crown to operate a casino there.