Big Brand
Resorts World Manila extends Genting’s gaming identity in Asia
The use of ‘Resorts World’ branding for Genting’s new resort at Newport City in the Philippine capital Manila is a sign of the company’s commitment to the project and the increasing globalisation of the gaming industry in the region.
Branding is a useful way of telling consumers what they can expect of a product in terms of service, surroundings and quality, even if the actual gaming offer in each property is adapted on a market-by-market basis to suit the local players.
In that respect, Resorts World Manila, which had its soft opening on 28th August, is a standard bearer for the parent company Genting Group. This is because part of Resorts World Manila is on show to the public even before the company’s flagship Singapore integrated resort—Resorts World at Sentosa—opens.
Great expectations
It’s important, therefore, that the new Manila facility lives up to or even exceeds customer and industry expectations, thus creating the right ‘buzz’ in advance of the Singapore property’s opening.
Resorts World Manila will be completed in around 18 months time. It won’t be on the same scale as the Singapore project. It will, however, look, feel and work like a modern integrated resort, says the Group source.
The total casino floor space at Resorts World Manila will be over 30,000 square meters (323,000 sq ft). It will have 12 restaurants and a spa at the Marriott. There’s also a four-storey shopping mall with top quality retailers in it, says the source.
Resorts World Manila is starting with 100 gaming tables. Once it’s fully opened and running at full capacity, that will rise to more than 300 tables. There will also be 1,000 slot machines. In six months it will also have a 1,200-seat theatre, which will be one of the biggest in Metro Manila, adds the spokesman.
Segments
Resorts World Manila also resembles the integrated resorts on Cotai in Macau for the way that it segments its hotel offer.
Newport comprises three hotels: a Marriott, Maxims (Star Cruises’ own brand) and a Remington for the budget segment, states the source
The Marriott Hotel is managed independently of Genting/Star. Maxims also has its own management team, states the source.
The five-star Marriott and six-star plus Maxims are scheduled to open before the end of this year, and together they will offer over 540 rooms, adds the spokesman. The Remington will be opening in another 16-18 months and add 700-plus rooms to the mix, meaning Resorts World Manila will have around 1,300 rooms.
When the Manila Bay plan was unveiled at Asia’s GEM 2008—the annual conference and gaming equipment exhibition organised by the country’s gaming regulator-cum-operator, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR)—there was a suggestion a new cruise ship terminal would be built in Manila.
Responsive
The Group source says the company is not aware of any current plans for such a scheme. The spokesman adds, however, that if new port infrastructure were developed, Star Cruises would be well-positioned to move quickly to take advantage of it and bring its customers directly to Manila by ship.
Star Cruises has the capacity, the people and the ability to do so, says the source.
Because Star Cruises is based in the region, such a decision can be made very quickly by a core group of management. If a market opportunity arises for cruises to Manila, a service could be established in less than six months, says the source.
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