Sands China Celebrates 15 Years of Sands Macao
Company’s first property in Macao set new industry standard in the city with 2004 opening
(Macao,
May
16, 2019) –
Sands® Macao
celebrated its 15th anniversary with a
ceremony at the hotel and entertainment
complex’s outdoor fountain Thursday –
marking a decade and a half since its 2004
opening ushered in a period of monumental
growth for Sands China and for Macao.
When the highly anticipated Sands Macao
opened on May 18, 2004, the excitement
brought about by Sands China’s first
property in Macao drew a colossal crowd
eager to be the first to experience the
luxurious new
landmark.
Fifteen years later, it attracts millions of
visitors annually from around the world,
after having paved the way for its sister
properties across the water on the Cotai
Strip – The Venetian® Macao, The
Plaza® Macao, Sands®
Cotai Central, and The Parisian Macao –
which connect to form an integrated resort
city housed under one roof. Together, Sands
China’s five properties have recorded over
700 million visits since
2004.
With Sands Macao having set a rapid pace
15 years ago, Sands China has since
grown in parallel with the growth of
Macao as a world centre of tourism and
leisure. Today, the company’s portfolio
of properties features nearly 13,000
hotel rooms and suites, 150 dining
options, the region’s premier meetings
and conventions destination, more than
850 duty-free shops, and superstar
entertainment at the Cotai Arena and
four theatres.
“Macao has always been a city of great
strengths – a city rich in culture, history
and potential,” said Chairman and CEO of Las
Vegas Sands and Sands China Ltd. Sheldon G.
Adelson. “Our company is privileged to have
been a part of Macao’s development these
last 15 years and we look forward to Macao’s
continued success and development in the
years ahead. Our gratitude and appreciation
go to the central government, the Macao
government and the entire Macao community
for their continued support, and to our
dedicated team members for bringing our
properties to life each
day.”
Thursday’s 15th anniversary celebration at
Sands Macao was themed on the award-winning
film “The Greatest Showman,” with the
opening act featuring Korean singers Kevin
Woo and Jimin Park performing a duet of the
song “Rewrite the Stars” from the movie’s
Grammy-Award-winning soundtrack, while a
waterfall-styled pyrotechnic display
illuminated the night in front of Sands
Macao’s façade. It was followed by another
round of pyrotechnics set to a remix of the
film’s No. 1 hit single “This Is Me.” The
anniversary ceremony concluded with a
special performance by West End singer
Daniel
Koek.
Legendary Hong Kong entertainer Liza Wang
sang as the headline performer at the gala
dinner that followed, and Daniel Koek joined
the Rat Pack Showgirls act to entertain
guests at the dinner, which also featured a
sand
painter.
Thursday’s anniversary ceremony was
officiated by Acting Chief Executive of the
Macao Special Administrative Region Lionel
Leong Vai Tac; Deputy Director of the
Liaison Office of the Central People's
Government in Macao Yao Jian; Director of
the Macao Government Tourism Office Maria
Helena de Senna Fernandes, representing the
Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture of
the Government of the Macao Special
Administrative Region; Director of the
Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau of
the Macao Special Administrative Region
Paulo Chan; President of Sands China Ltd.
Dr. Wilfred Wong; Managing Director of
Venetian Macau Limited Antonio Ferreira Wu;
and Chief of Staff for Sands China Ltd.
Grant
Chum.
Wong said: “The company is thrilled to be
celebrating Sands Macao’s impressive 15-year
milestone. We remain committed to our
long-held strategy of providing a
diversified mix of attractions and
experiences for our guests – locals and
visitors alike – first made possible by the
enormous success of Sands Macao, which
continues to provide our world-renowned
service to this day. And we are very pleased
to be celebrating that success with the
community and with our team
members.”
After starting with about 4,600 team members
in 2004, the company has grown tremendously
to more than 28,000 team members today. Over
1,600 have been with the company for 15
years, representing over one-third of Sands
Macao’s opening team. More than 8,300 team
members are 10-year veterans of the company,
84 per cent of whom are Macao locals.
Besides Thursday’s ceremony, Sands China is
also commemorating Sands Macao’s 15th
anniversary with a series of internal
celebrations with staff – including the
company’s thousands of long-serving team
members – in honour of their dedication,
professionalism and contributions to the
success of the
company.
And to celebrate with the wider community,
the Sands Loves Macao promotion has been
offering locals discounts on dining,
transportation, entertainment, recreation
and more since May 6 and continuing until
June 6. The special offers are a gesture of
appreciation from Sands China to the local
community, which has supported Sands Macao
since it opened on the Macao peninsula in
2004, enabling it to become a leading
attraction and pave the way for Sands
China’s integrated resorts on the Cotai
Strip.
Photo caption:
Sands China Ltd. President Dr. Wilfred Wong speaks at Sands
Macao’s 15th anniversary celebration Thursday at the hotel
and entertainment complex’s outdoor
fountain.
Photo caption:
Guests of honour officiate the 15th anniversary celebration
for Sands Macao Thursday at the hotel and entertainment
complex’s outdoor fountain.
Left to right: Managing Director of Venetian Macau Limited
Antonio Ferreira Wu; President of Sands China Ltd. Dr.
Wilfred Wong; Deputy Director of the Liaison Office of the
Central People's Government in Macao Yao Jian; Acting Chief
Executive of the Macao Special Administrative Region Lionel
Leong Vai Tac; Director of the Macao Government Tourism
Office Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, representing the
Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture of the Government
of the Macao Special Administrative Region; Director of the
Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau of the Macao
Special Administrative Region Paulo Chan; Chief of Staff for
Sands China Ltd. Grant Chum
Photo caption:
A waterfall-styled pyrotechnic display in front of Sands
Macao’s façade Thursday illuminates the night in front of
the hotel and entertainment complex’s outdoor fountain in
celebration of the property’s 15th anniversary, while Korean
singers Kevin Woo and Jimin Park sing “Rewrite the Stars”
from the Grammy-Award-winning soundtrack from the film “The
Greatest Showman.”
Photo caption:
A remix of The No. 1 hit single “This Is Me” from the
award-winning film “The Greatest Showman” plays as a
pyrotechnic display helps celebrate the 15th anniversary of
Sands Macao at a ceremony Thursday at the hotel and
entertainment complex.
Photo caption:
Singer Daniel Koek from London’s West End entertains guests
at Sands Macao’s 15th anniversary celebration at the hotel
and entertainment complex’s outdoor fountain
Thursday.