In a star-studded ceremony, Macau welcomed the opening of Studio City, a US$3.2 billion entertainment-themed casino resort and the territory's newest addition to the Macau government’s development initiatives toward non-gaming attractions.
Featuring the world premiere of “The Audition”, the opening was attended by Hollywood stars Robert De Niro, Leonardo DiCaprio and academy award-winning director Martin Scorsese. The short film, which is Macau’s first Hollywood-produced movie, is set in part at the new casino resort and sees actors travelling between the City of Dreams resort in Manila and ending in Japan.
The opening ceremony also saw entertainment from K-pop group Sistar, Hong Kong cantopop star Aaron Kwok and multi-platinum selling singer, Mariah Carey.
Speaking at the opening, co-chairman and CEO of Melco Crown Lawrence Ho said that this marked the start of a new era of leisure destination entertainment for Macau and Asia. “Studio City stands testament to Melco Crown Entertainment’s commitment to help to evolve and greatly enhance Macau’s non-gaming entertainment proposition as we continue to work towards our strategic aim supporting its evolution into a highly-diversified leisure and tourism destination."
Co-chairman of Melco Crown Entertainment James Packer added: “Today’s grand opening is a key step in our strategic vision of providing a world class portfolio of leisure and entertainment resort experiences that meet the rapidly evolving demands of Asian and international leisure visitors.”
Studio City is home to 1,600 hotel rooms, spread across the resort's two towers, and is now Melco Crown's fourth casino. The cinematically-themed resort features leisure offerings for groups such as a Batman-themed ride, the world’s highest figure 8 Ferris Wheel, and a 5,000-seat entertainment centre.
