CLAIMS TO FAME
- 20-years industry experience includes stints in the US, Singapore and the Philippines
It’s been a slow burn for Kevin Benning since joining Studio City in 2021 after five years with another Melco Resorts property, City of Dreams Manila. That put him smack bang in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, but since Macau reopened its borders in January 2023, Studio City has shown signs of finally living up to its potential.
In its 2Q24 earnings call, Melco flagged a series of major renovation works at the southern Cotai Strip resort that it says have better positioned it to appeal to its target customer base. Premium gaming aside, Studio City is touted as the company’s family-friendly IR – particularly since the opening of Phase 2 a little under two years ago, which added two new hotels, an indoor-outdoor water park and more gaming space. The past six months have seen the addition of the state-of-the-art Studio City Cinema, while a handful of major residency acts at Studio City Events Center are said to have driven a strong uplift in visitation. Notably, property GGR in the June quarter of US$339 million was up 58% year-on-year and 7% quarter-on-quarter.
Benning himself boasts almost 20 years industry experience, first with Caesars in the US, then with Sands China and briefly with Singapore’s Resorts World Sentosa. He joined Melco in March 2016.
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