Asia
MGM Resorts International Looking to Open New Venues in The Asian Market
MGM Resorts International is an American hospitality and entertainment corporation that operates resorts in Las Vegas, New Jersey, Maryland, Massachusetts, and Mississippi. Their resorts include The MGM Grand, Bellagio, Park MGM, and Mandalay Bay.
MGM Resorts’ History
The history of the corporation can be traced back to 1969, when airline and casino magnate Kirk Kerkorian purchased a majority share in the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) picture studio. This event is considered to be the beginning of the company.
Grand Name Company, the precursor to what is now known as MGM Resorts International, was established in 1986 by Kirk Kerkorian as a wholly owned subsidiary of Tracinda Corporation. It was rebranded as MGM Grand, Inc. in 1987. After purchasing Mirage Resorts in the year 2000, the corporation changed its name to MGM Mirage.
Despite the fact that the majority of the company’s resorts are already in operation in the United States, the corporation has expressed a strong desire to expand into Asia, with China, Japan, and Singapore being its primary areas of focus.
MGM Resorts in Singapore
The establishment of a venue in Malaysia might be considered a significant milestone for MGM Resorts International. It has been confirmed by Bloomberg that the firm has already spoken with the Malaysian Lim family about the possibility of either taking over their Genting Singapore business or investing in the company. A consensus has not yet been not reached, but it seems probable that MGM will continue its pursuit of the firm in the future.
Singapore’s city state has just two casino operators, Genting being one of them. Sentosa, an island off Singapore’s southern coast, is home to the Resorts World Sentosa complex. According to a recent review by www.casinosnavi.com, the resort has more than 550 gaming tables and 2,400 slot machines, and other electronic games. Theme parks, aquariums, water parks, restaurants, and shopping round out the list of things to do at Universal Studios Singapore.
In addition, Genting Singapore was one of the few businesses owned by the Genting group that remained profitable throughout most of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the first quarter of 2022, Genting Singapore reported a 13 percent year-on-year increase in revenues to $225 million and a 17 percent increase in net profit to $29 million.
It’s clear that a potential MGM takeover of the Genting Singapore presence would further strengthen the US casino giant in the Asian market. Not only that they would take over a profitable business with lots of potential for expansion, but they will penetrate another market that’s not accessible to them at the moment. Should an agreement be reached, MGM will become a major player in the Asian market after adding Singapore to their portfolio.
MGM Resorts in Japan
MGM Resorts International also intends to construct a resort in Osaka, Japan, with a price tag of ten billion dollars. The city and prefecture of Osaka have decided to work with MGM, which has formed a partnership with the Japanese financial services giant ORIX. This will allow MGM to operate an integrated resort in the area.
Since Las Vegas Sands Corp., Wynn Resorts Ltd., and other Asian gambling businesses withdrew from developments in Osaka, only the MGM-Orix joint venture submitted a bid to the region’s RFP process for establishing a casino.
This is MGM’s first foray into the Japanese casinos business, and they hope it will be just the beginning. In a statement, MGM Resorts CEO and President Bill Hornbuckle said that “We couldn’t be more excited for the opportunity to help enhance and grow Osaka’s reputation as a world-class destination and gateway for the world to the wonders and rich history of Japan.”
MGM Resorts in China
MGM Macau and MGM Cotai are the two locations in China where the MGM brand is active. The MGM Macau was the first business that the corporation had in China, the second one being the MGM Cotai casino resort which officially opened its doors on February 13th, 2018.
1,390 rooms and suites make up the Cotai hotel. There is a 2,000-seat MGM Theater in the hotel as well. More than 2,000 different plant species are housed at Nature’s Art, the world’s biggest art garden. Among those species are many that had been thought to be extinct.
Moreover, the opening of MGM Shanghai looks to be part of MGM’s strategy to increase its presence in the country. A hotel management agreement with Shanghai West Bund Development has been signed by Diaoyutai MGM Hospitality, a 2007 joint venture between MGM Resorts International and Diaoyutai State Guesthouse. This agreement will see Diaoyutai MGM Hospitality open its first MGM-branded hotel in Shanghai.
MGM Shanghai West Bund will include 161 guest rooms and 58 suites, as well as a range of food and beverage, entertainment, and other services, according to information supplied to the press. The hotel will provide a variety of Las Vegas-inspired entertainment activities, such as live performances by prominent artists and art exhibits, in an effort to attract wealthy tourists and residents alike.
Mr. Bill Hornbuckle, CEO and President of MGM Resorts, stated, “We’re honored that the MGM brand and our China joint venture, Diaoyutai MGM Hospitality, were selected by West Bund Group to operate this premium property in such an iconic zone.”
Final Thoughts
Already with a strong presence in the major Asian markets, MGM could strengthen its presence through a potential takeover in Singapore. Even though an agreement is far from being reached, the initial talks bring a lot of promise for the region.
It’s certainly an interesting development for the resort industry in Asia and only time will tell if the negotiations will come to a positive result. In the meantime, tourists can rest assured that the resort era is far from coming to an end.
Asia
Team ATK Oshun excels at 2024 Online Championships held on 13 April 2024
Mind Sports South Africa’s (MSSA) 2024 Online Championships held on 13 April 2024 showed sterling results.
The championship was yet another chance for many esports athletes to qualify for MSSA’s National Team Trials to be held on 25 May 2024 at which the team will be selected to officially represent South Africa at the African Qualifiers which lead up to IESF’s 16th World Esports Championships to be held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in October and November 2024..
All Registered Players who have finished in the top three places, or the top 20% – whichever is greater, are entitled to enter trials.
However, it must be remembered that all players must have a valid passport to participate in the National Team Trials.
It was indeed exciting to watch just how much all the female teams have improved.
Team ATK Oshun (ATK Club Sport) being a female team astounded all with their skill and sportsmanship. The team demolished all ATK Club Sport opposition to ultimately won the premier event overall and qualify for the National Team trials to be held on 25 May 2025.
IESF’s 15th World Championships will be played to the following titles:
- Counter-Strike 2
- Counter-Strike 2 – Female division
- DotA 2
- eFootball
- Mobile Legends, Bang Bang
- Mobile Legends, Bang Bang – Female division
- PUBGM
The high standard of play saw 37 Registered Players from six provinces being awarded Provincial Colours. Only Limpopo, Free State, and Northern Cape did not have Registered Players who did not earn provincial colours.
Title | Name of player/team | Club | Provincial Colours awarded |
Clash Royale – Premier | Johan Coetzee | Middies | Mpumalanga |
Clash Royale – High School | Aryan Maharaj | PR0NHS | |
Counter Strike: 2 | ATK Oshun | ||
Kaylee Ludick | ATK Club Sport | Gauteng | |
Jessica Eleez Greeff | ATK Club Sport | Gauteng | |
Christin Brazier | ATK Club Sport | Gauteng | |
Megan van der Westhuizen | ATK Club Sport | Gauteng | |
Kayhla Rose Calder | ATK Club Sport | Gauteng | |
DotA – Premier | ZAG DOTA 1 | ||
Suhail Khan | ZAG Academy | Gauteng | |
Travis John Waters | ZAG Academy | Western Cape | |
Mark Kilian Lehle | ZAG Academy | Gauteng | |
Mohammad Dhooma | ZAG Academy | Eastern Cape | |
Nicholas Dammert | ZAG Academy | Gauteng | |
eFootball – Premier | Aslam Parker | PES Society | Gauteng |
FIFA 24 – High School | Daiyaan Hendricks | PES Society | Western Cape |
Mobile Legends – Premier
|
Mavericks | ||
Matthew Tatalias | Mavericks | Gauteng | |
Damian Bransby | Mavericks | Western Cape | |
Preshan Pillay | Mavericks | Gauteng | |
Mohammad Azhar Ansari | Mavericks | KwaZulu Natal | |
Taygan Gabriel | Mavericks | KwaZulu Natal | |
Luke Green | Mavericks | Western Cape | |
Mobile Legends – Premier – Female
|
AHG | ||
Je’nielle Cavanagh | PES Society | Western Cape | |
Inez Pringle | PES Society | Western Cape | |
Salma Parker | PES Society | Western Cape | |
Ra’isha Prout | PES Society | Western Cape | |
Fatimah Prout | PES Society | Western Cape | |
Mia Anthony | PES Society | Western Cape | |
PUBGM
|
Team uEnvy | ||
Richard Henry | ZAG Academy | Eastern Cape | |
La-eeq Arendse | ZAG Academy | Western Cape | |
Kyle Dudley | ZAG Academy | Western Cape | |
Clayton Leak | ZAG Academy | Western Cape | |
Rocket League – Premier – 1 v 1 – Premier | Nathan Strange | Hoërskool Klerksdorp | |
Rocket League – Premier – 1 v 1 – High School | Luther Peens | Hoërskool Klerksdorp | |
Street Fightter V – Premier | Marnus van der Merwe | Hoërskool Klerksdorp | North West |
Tekken 8 | Stasch Cloeta | Team PlayBell | Western Cape |
Valorant – Premier
|
TuksValorant | ||
Tapiwanashe Keith Matema | TuksEsports | Gauteng | |
Kyle Halvorsen | TuksEsports | Gauteng | |
Jaden Connor Swarts | TuksEsports | Gauteng | |
Ronald James Tyler Wheeldon | TuksEsports | Gauteng | |
Alejandro Luca Sartini-Kruger | TuksEsports | Gauteng | |
Armand Pierre van der Colf | TuksEsports | Gauteng | |
Sportsmanship Award | Je’nielle Cavanagh | PES Society |
The post Team ATK Oshun excels at 2024 Online Championships held on 13 April 2024 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Asia
PAGCor Welcomes Lawyer Wilma Eisma as New President and Chief Operating Officer
The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCor) today welcomed its new President and Chief Operating Officer, lawyer Wilma Eisma, who took her oath of office before Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin in Malacanang this morning.
“We are happy to welcome Atty. Wilma Eisma as PAGCor’s new President and Chief Operating Officer,” PAGCor Chairman Alejandro Tengco said. “We know she will be a great asset and her vast experience in both the government and private sectors will surely be put to good use here.”
Tengco said he witnessed Eisma’s oath-taking in Malacanang this morning. She then immediately joined her first PAGCor board meeting in the afternoon as the agency’s first ever woman President and Chief Operating Officer.
A lawyer by profession, Eisma earned her law degree from the Ateneo de Manila University and was a member of the Board of Directors of the Development Bank of the Philippines before joining the state gaming firm.
Prior to that, she also served as the first woman Administrator and Chairman of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA).
Her private sector stints include leadership roles in PMFTC Incorporated, the Philippine affiliate of Philip Morris International.
She also held key positions at the Department of Trade and Industry where she worked at the Office of the Secretary and in the Office of the Majority Leader in the House of Representatives, among others.
Eisma succeeded Atty Juanito Sanosa Jr who resigned as PAGCor President and Chief Operating Officer last January.
The post PAGCor Welcomes Lawyer Wilma Eisma as New President and Chief Operating Officer appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Asia
Maharashtra Government rewards state’s Asian Games 2022 Esports athletes with INR 10 lakhs; marks historic moment for Indian Esports
In a groundbreaking move, the Directorate of Sports and Youth Services of the Government of Maharashtra has rewarded a significant amount of INR 10 lakhs to each Esports athlete of the state who represented India in the Asian Games 2022, held in Hangzhou. This marks a historic moment for Indian Esports, as it is the first time any state has included Esports alongside mainstream sports in prize money rewards for its state players in a major tournament. The recipients of this monetary reward include Darshan Bata, captain of the DOTA 2 team, along with his teammates Krish Gupta, Ketan Goyal, and Shubham Goli, as well as League of Legends athlete Samarth Trivedi.
Expressing his gratitude, Darshan Bata, the captain of the DOTA 2 team who hails from Mumbai, said, “I would like to express my sincere thanks to ESFI and the Maharashtra government for honoring us and recognizing and supporting Esports.”
Esports made its debut as a full-fledged medal event at the Asian Games 2022, where a total of 476 athletes from 30 different countries competed for gold medals across seven titles. India participated in four of these titles, including DOTA 2, EA Sports FC Online, League of Legends, and Street Fighter V: Champion Edition.
“It has been a great experience at Asian games, I am grateful for the support I received from the Maharashtra government and I really appreciate the efforts ESFI has contributed to our journey,” stated Ketan Goyal of Pune who was a part of the DOTA 2 team at the Asian Games 2022.
The talented Indian contingent for the Asian Games was sent by Esports Federation of India (ESFI), who had organized open for all nationwide online qualifiers to select the best and most deserving athletes to compete for the nation at the tournament.
“Really happy to see that Esports is getting recognized and we are being aided by the government. Thank you for the support to Maharashtra Government and a big shoutout to ESFI for giving us this opportunity to represent India in the Asian games,” highlighted Krish Gupta of Pune, a member of the Indian DOTA 2 team.
The League of Legends team, in particular, achieved a historic fifth-place finish at the 19th Asian Games after competing against top-tier teams from around the continent.
“I am really grateful to the Maharashtra government for providing us with the financial support. It is amazing to see Esports being recognized by the Government. A huge shoutout to ESFI for giving us the opportunity and platform to compete at the Asian Games 2022 in Hangzhou,” commented Samarth Trivedi of Thane who played a pivotal part in the country’s performance in League of Legends at the tournament.
Prior to the 19th Asian Games, India had also secured a remarkable bronze medal at the Commonwealth Esports Championships in DOTA 2, showcasing the country’s prowess in video gaming on the international stage.
“Thank you ESFI and team for all you support throughout Asian games 2022. We are really blessed and honored by Maharashtra Government for supporting Esports players and considering Esports in events like Commonwealth and Asian Games,” noted Shubham Goli, a resident of Pune who represented India at both the Commonwealth Esports Championships as well as the Asian Games 2022 in DOTA 2. The latest FICCI-EY report titled ‘#Reinvent: India’s media & entertainment sector is innovating for the future, India is expected to have 20 international teams by 2024.
The Maharashtra government’s recognition and support of Esports signals a significant milestone in the journey towards mainstream acceptance of competitive gaming as a legitimate sport in the country.
The post Maharashtra Government rewards state’s Asian Games 2022 Esports athletes with INR 10 lakhs; marks historic moment for Indian Esports appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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