MGM Grand Casino Macau

Pansy Ho, 50% owner of MGM Grand Macau

MGM Opens Grand Casino in Macau

MACAU (Dec. 18) - Socialites and showbiz stars joined business tycoons Tuesday for the opening of the MGM Grand Macau, the latest Las Vegas-backed casino to crowd into the tiny Chinese gambling enclave, hoping to lure China's growing middle class.

The US$1.25 billion (euro850 million) MGM Grand is a joint venture between Las Vegas casino operator MGM Mirage and Pansy Ho, former socialite and the daughter of Macau's former casino kingpin, Stanley Ho.

It is jockeying for high rollers with dozens of casinos already stationed in Macau, the only place in China where gambling is legal and which last year raked in more gaming revenue than the Las Vegas Strip.

Dozens of guests began arriving for a black-tie opening ceremony Tuesday evening, sweeping up the grand driveway in black chauffeured limousines. The public would get their first glimpse inside the mirror and steel building just before 11 p.m. (1500 GMT).

The high-profile guest list included Malaysian actress Michelle Yeoh, top Macau government officials, as well as local celebrities and tycoons, including Stanley Ho, a spokeswoman said.

Stanley Ho ran the casino business in Macau for 40 years until 2001 - two years after the Portuguese colony returned to Chinese rule - when the government broke up his monopoly and handed out gaming concessions to foreign interests.

American Sheldon Adelson was the first to enter the territory, opening the Sands Macau in 2004, and then this August the US$2.4 billion (euro1.67 billion) Venetian, a Las Vegas style mega casino-resort complete with Italian gondolas punting down indoor canals.

Pansy Ho said the 600-room MGM Grand will target the wealthiest gamblers, called "VIP customers" in the business, who are interested in high-end shopping and entertainment as well as gambling.

For the rest of this story and some cool slide show pics of some of Macau's action, go to MGM Opens Grand Casino in Macau - AOL Money & Finance

And of course, while Macau is growing and offering top shelf adult entertainment, here in Florida we have "two" incompetent political pawns trying to undo the pact our governor made with the Seminole Indians to broaden casino games in the state. The so called "top cop" in the state, Bill McCollum and speaker of the house, Marco Rubio, need to worry more about property insurance, property taxes and the overall budget than worrying about what citizens do with their money and morals.

As long as this state has right leaning, moralistic, good ole boy tight asses like this running things, we will never move forward to the next level of national and international competition.

"Speak Your Mind, those that matter don't mind,
Those that mind, don't matter"

Bobby Sharpe www.myspace.com/akuasharpe Dragon, Book of Shang