Property Overview
The Venetian Macao is one of the world’s most luxurious and the largest hotels and casinos. Located in Macao, China, the building was erected on reclaimed land. The 10,500,000 square-foot building is currently the seventh-largest building globally and the largest hotel building in continental Asia (Hao et al., 2017). Although gambling is the primary activity in this magnificent mega-structure, it also houses a luxurious hotel, a shopping mall, an eatery, banking services, a gym, Olympic-sized swimming pools, and many other amenities. A visitor can have access to almost anything they need within the building for weeks or even months. The construction was completed in July 2007 and by late August the same year, the resort was opened (Mao, 2019). Fully owned by Las Vegas Sands Company, which is currently ranked the largest casino firm in the world, the Venetian Macao has achieved steady success in this market, attracting both local and international customers. Figure 1 below shows the external frontal view of the property.
Key Features
The Venetian Macao offers its visitors a wide range of services. Hao et al. (2017) explain that a significant number of those who visit this facility do not even engage in gambling. They come to enjoy various amenities available at this megastructure. The following are the key features of this property.
The Casino
One of the primary features of this property is its 546,000 square-foot casino that is divided into different gaming areas. The four themed areas include Golden Fish, Phoenix, Imperial House, and Red Dragon (Mao, 2019). Each of them is meant to meet a wide range of gambling needs, both for the locals and international visitors. The facility has 800 gambling tables and more than 6,000 slot machines, making it the largest gambling arena in the world. The casino is the main source of income for the property.
The Hotel
The facility has one of the most luxurious hotels in the world. With about 3,000 suites for visitors, the Venetian Macao is one of the largest hotels in Asia-Pacific. The management created Paiza suites to serve premium guests. The Presidente is its presidential suite that features a 12-bay suite and four bedrooms for some of its most prestigious guests (Hao et al., 2017). The facility provides a variety of food items that reflects the diversity of its patrons. The Paiza club offers visitors a wide range of in-house entertainment.
The Shopping Mall
The management of this facility was keen on providing its customers with a facility where they could meet almost all their needs without having to travel to other facilities. It has a standard shopping mall where customers can purchase any item they might need during their entire period of visiting the Venetian Macao. The mall has a banking facility and entertainment points for children.
Cotai Arena
The Cotai Arena is one of its primary entertainment joints that are meant for both adults and children. Monkey King, which is a popular and one of the oldest Chinese folktales, is one of the common productions shown at this facility. The audience can also watch international televised shows and concerts (Mao, 2019). The arena also hosts various sporting events like basketball, boxing, and tennis. It has the capacity to hold 15,000 people in one sitting. Its custom-built theater also offers other forms of entertainment. Figure 2 below shows customers enjoying a boat ride in a section of the facility.
Market Analysis
The casino industry has been growing rapidly as the global economy continues to increase. Lock (2018) explains that in the past, gambling was mainly done by the rich. However, with the emergence of slot machines and online betting, the industry has registered impressive growth over the past decade. According to French and Gordon (2020), in 2016 the casino’s gross yield was 115 United States dollars. It grew to 130 billion dollars in 2019 as other players continue to enter this lucrative market. In China, Macau has emerged as the country’s leading casino hub. This special administrative region has become one of the leading tourist attraction centers, and a significant number of these visitors are gamblers. A report by Lock (2018) shows that the gross gambling revenue for Macau in 2017 was 32 billion dollars, which is a significant increase in ten years compared with 10.5 billion dollars in 2007. The local government has been keen on protecting this industry because it understands its significance in enhancing revenue (Hao et al., 2017). It is important to note that like other industries in the leisure market, the casino industry is significantly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Specific Laws Relevant to Operation
Gambling is one of the fastest-growing industries despite the controversies that it faces in many countries. According to Zhang et al. (2017), some countries have banned any form of gambling because they consider it to have a negative effect on individuals and the general economy. China is one such state that has banned gambling. When the Communist Party came into power in 1949, any form of gambling within mainland China was illegalized (Fung, 2016). It was also an offense for a Chinese citizen to set up a gambling business overseas targeting Chinese citizens. Although illegal gambling businesses have mushroomed across the country over the recent past such as online betting, this form of business is still considered illegal in mainland China.
Macau is a special administrative unit in China, as explained in the section above. It means that some of the laws and regulations strictly implemented in mainland China do not apply in this region. One such exemption is the law regarding gambling. During the period when the region was a Portuguese colony, the locals practiced traditional Chinese gambling games. The practice did not change when it gained independence and became part of the Republic of China. As a semi-autonomous administrative unit, the local government has fully legalized gambling and casino business. According to Hao et al. (2017), the local government understands and appreciates the significance of the gambling industry to the region’s economy. Laws have been set aside to protect customers, gambling facilities, and the government.
SWOT Analysis
The Venetian Macao has enjoyed impressive growth of revenue since it made its entry into the Chinese market. One of its main strengths is its strong brand internationally. Las Vegas Sands Corporation, which is the parent company, is the largest casino company in the world. The company also enjoys having a team of highly-skilled management units that understands what is expected of it in the market. They have been developing policies that are effective in enhancing the rapid growth of the organization. The company has been in the gambling business for decades and has used the experience to its advantage. The fact that it is the largest casino space in the world and that numerous other amenities are available within the facility has been attracting local and international visitors. However, the management will need to address some of its major weaknesses. Its large size makes it less flexible to changes that may emerge in the industry. Complaints of employees’ mistreatment need to be addressed effectively. The leadership of this organization also needs to fight any form of prostitution that some organizations allege has become common in its hotels.
The market presents growth opportunities that the company should take advantage of in Macau. The growing gambling industry in this region offers Venetian Macau an opportunity to grow. The company also enjoys the support of the local government, just like any other casino business within this special administrative unit. The growing economy in China means that more people can now afford to engage in gambling activities more regularly. The management will need to find ways of dealing with threats in this industry, top of which is competition (Chen, 2019). As the industry grows, the number of firms also continues to increase. Strict rules by the state are another major threat that limits the growth of this company in Macau and Hong Kong.
Table 1: SWOT Analysis
Reference
Chen, A. (2019). Billion dollar fantasy: The epic battle between fanduel and draftkings that upended sports in America. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
French, J., & Gordon, R. (2020). Strategic social marketing: For behavior and social change (2nd ed.). Sage.
Fung, A. (Ed.). (2016). Global game industries and cultural policy. Springer International Publishing.
Hao, Y., Sheng, L., & Pan, G. (2017). Political economy of Macao since 1999: The dilemma of success. Palgrave Macmillan.
Lock, S. (2018). Casino industry: Statistics and facts. Statistica. Web.
Mao, Z. (2019). Venetian Macau. Sublime China. Web.
Zhang, Y., Rea, C. G., & Rusk, B. (2017). The book of swindles: Selections from a new book for foiling swindlers, based on worldly experience. Columbia University Press.