Home » Tripping Macau » Las Vegas Sands : "Macau is a Mega-Mall"

Las Vegas Sands : "Macau is a Mega-Mall"

» posted by Chuckmonster
  on 13 August 2008 2:10 am

Buried deep within an article on Digital Media is a short interview with David Sylvester, VP of Retail Development for Las Vegas Sands Corp (LVS) wherein he opines that Macau is a mega-mall (er... MEGAMALL™?).

Mr. Sylvester goes on to explain LVS' retail strategy and mentions that the next shopping mall in Cotai (as part of hotel row?) will be called Cotai Central.

Take it away:

Matching the foot traffic to the retail concept is an essential element of mall planning, says David Sylvester, vice-president of Las Vegas Sands Corp, Retail Development, Asia. His employer is currently building one of Asia’s most ambitious resort/retail ventures, The Cotai Strip, said to be the region’s first experiential mall.

"What we are creating in Macau is really a mega-mall," says Sylvester. "There are five separate malls, each with its own retail niche, all connected by bridges. We are expecting people to come just for shopping trips."

Just... for shopping trips? Not so sure if Sly's comment there is hyperbole or if he's missing the bigger picture.

Each of the five malls is paired with a hotel. The first to open was the Grand Canal Shoppe at Four Seasons. Next will be Cotai Central, to follow next year. The others, as yet unnamed, will be open by 2010.

"The hotels act as a filter," says Sylvester. "If you can afford to stay at the Four Seasons, then you are the customer who will be shopping at Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Gucci, Prada, all those brands."

The degree of luxury of the hotel sets the tone of the stores in the adjacent mall. "We try to mix the malls so they don't compete for the same dollar," says Sylvester. "When you go from one to the other there won't be a lot of sameness. Each will have a different brand line up."

Sylvester's yardstick of measuring luxury repurposed to use dining options means that the Venetian Macao is a Fatburger - large, sickeningly satisfying and burptastically overpriced.





Comments & Discussion:
Posted by Dramman on Saturday, 16th August 2008 - 1:28 am

Ironically there is Fatburger in the Venetian Macau. Best onion rings I have had in Asia. Then again thats not saying much.

Posted by Chuckmonster on Monday, 18th August 2008 - 2:51 am

I nearly wept when I saw that Fatburger when I was there. After a week eating all sorts of strange variations on familiar stuff, I was hoping to enjoy a famous taste of home. Unfortunately, it hadn't opened yet.

Not an ironic choice of words there tho - I picked FB on purpose!

Subscribe via RSS







Recent Comments:

kitty posted: "travel to Macau esp. city of dreams for me was a dream come true. Lots of nightlife, casinos, shows, shops,..."
» on A Macau Travel Tip Bonanza...
RateVegas posted: "Fun episode... but, I personally would have loved more info on casino restaurants. I understand that's not really his thing..."
» on Bourdain Does Macau... TONIGHT!...
CasinoDesign posted: "This is a beautiful casino entrance. The colors and dramatic lighting create a compelling entrance, as well as the large..."
» on Casino Lisboa New Entrance...
kitty1 posted: "I am the regular guest in Cafe Esplanada. The food is ok but service sometimes does slow. I am wonder..."
» on MacauEats: Cafe Esplanada at Wynn...
Kagehitokiri posted: "and it wouldnt be a hostess club...? (started in asia then exported elsewhere) ..."
» on Tail For Tail...



About:

The boss sent Chuckmonster to Macau to bring back the scoop on what Asia's Las Vegas is all about. Follow along as Chuck deals with all the questions, logistics, travel issues, language barriers, hotel construction stuff, the lack of craps tables and all the other obstacles that any/every Macau and Cotai tripper might have to deal with.

Friends:

Die Is Cast
Cotai Strip Casino News
Two Way Hard Three