Inside Asian Gaming

INSIDE ASIAN GAMING FEBRUARY 2018 8 MELCO INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT Limited’s Cyprus resort will be called City of Dreams Mediterranean, the company has revealed. Unveiling the finalized plans, Melco announced that the US$650 million resort will be built in a Mediterranean style and tailored to fit Cyprus’ “natural environment and landscape.” The joint venture project with local firm Cyprus Phassouri Ltd (CPZ) – of which Melco holds a 75% stake – will be Europe’s biggest integrated casino resort, with 136 gaming tables and 1,200 gaming machines plus a five-star hotel with 500 hotel rooms, 11 restaurants and cafeterias, a wellness center, sports center, extensive MELCO UNVEILS CYPRUS RESORT AS CITY OF DREAMS MEDITERRANEAN Recently opened Nepal casino Tiger Palace Resort Bhairahawa will introduce VIP gaming in the fourth quarter of 2018, according to owner Silver Heritage Group. The news formed part of an update on the property’s gaming operations following the launch of casino operations on 28 December. Tiger Palace will introduce eight Nepal’s Tiger Palace to launch VIP in 4Q18 pool area, high-end retail area, an outdoor amphitheater and 9,600 square meters of MICE space. As part of Melco’s agreement with the Cyprian government, a temporary casino private gaming tables in 4Q18 along with its fine dining operations and unspecified “additional expansion.” Silver Heritage also announced that Tiger Palace Resort will hold its official grand opening in March 2018 along with a separate formal launch event in Kathmandu. The company’s Nepalese subsidiary, SHL Management Services Private Ltd (SHMK), was granted a casino license in December following final approval by the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation of Nepal. SHMK also operates the Millionaire’s Club at the Shangri-La Hotel in Kathmandu. Tiger Palace held its first major event on New Year’s Eve with a celebration that included gaming and entertainment. will operate in Limassol until the official launch of City of Dreams Mediterranean in 2021, while four satellite casinos will also become operational in 2018 in Nicosia, Larnaca, Free Famagusta and Paphos. City of Dreams Mediterranean is expected to contribute around €700 million (US$840 million) a year to the local economy once open, equal to 4% of the country’s annual GDP. It was claimed at the unveiling that City of Dreams Mediterranean will attract an additional 300,000 tourists each year and offer around 4,000 local job opportunities during the construction phase and 2,500 permanent jobs once fully operational.