MANILA, June 5 (PNA) — Gaming firm Bloomberry Resorts Corp. has begun planning for the further expansion of Solaire Resort and Casino that will make it among the largest integrated resorts in the world.
This, as the company gears up for the opening of the USD 500-million Phase 1-A of the resort in November.
“We have a rough plan. We will start development of Phase 2… depending on market demand. It will be bigger than Phase 1 and 1-A combined,” Bloomberry chief executive officer Enrique Razon Jr. told reporters on the sidelines of the company’s stockholders meeting on Thursday.
Razon said the second phase will have a big podium, 1,500 hotel rooms, convention center and bigger mall.
Company president and chief operating officer Thomas Arasi said such phase is also expected to include additional MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions) and retail spaces, new food and beverage outlets and gaming positions.
Meanwhile, Razon said the company is working to complete on time the resort’s Phase 1-A expansion.
“Work is in full swing, and we are set to open in the fourth quarter, on time and on budget,” he said.
Razon said the new phase includes an additional 223 slot machines and 65 VIP gaming tables, a 312-room all-suite boutique hotel tower and non-gaming amenities such as more food and beverages offerings and a retail promenade.
Bloomberry will have invested Php 50.9 billion in Phase 1 and Phase 1-A combined upon their completion. It spent USD 684 million for Phase 1.
”Our strategy is to increase contribution (to our overall revenues) of the foreign market. That’s what our focus because that’s a bigger market. And you know, we are only scratching the surface,” Razon further said. (PNA)