Wynn looks to Vegas to remodel Macau’s US$28 billion casino hub into ‘1+4 economy’
Macau seeks to source 60 per cent of its revenues from non-gaming sectors by 2028, from 20 per cent at present
Last autumn, Lamborghini’s US$4 million Veneno Roadster was displayed in the lobbies of Wynn Macau’s flagship hotels, attracting large crowds of racing fans, automobile enthusiasts and tourists from mainland China and around the globe.
The world’s most expensive Lamborghini production car – only nine Venenos have been made – was among 30 rare hypercars that made their first joint appearance in Asia, including the McLaren Speedtail, Porsche GT1 Strassenversion, Ferrari FXX and Aston Martin V12 Speedster.
For president and vice-chairman Linda Chen, the HK$1.5 billion (US$192 million) showcase was part of a carefully calibrated campaign to create what she and non-executive chairman Allan Zeman call “the experience” – a memorable, immersive event that imprints their brand on visitors.
They are taking a page from the playbook of Las Vegas-based Wynn Resorts, where Chen served as a director from October 2007 to December 2012. The Nasdaq-listed firm owns 71 per cent of the Hong Kong-listed casino concessionaire.
“The hypercar concept worked really well [in creating memorable experiences] in Vegas, so we know that works, and we take it to apply to Macau,” she said in an interview in Macau. “We understand what has made Wynn Las Vegas successful. They really set the trend for everything.”
