Macau casino operators are scheduled to host more than 30 shows – mostly concerts – in August at Cotai gaming resorts. The total announced so far is down on July, when Macau properties had at least 44 such offerings.
The August tally of 32 spectacles, shared between the city’s gaming concessionaires, is based on information compiled up to Thursday by GGRAsia, from publicity materials published by the city’s casino operators and show organisers.
The figure excludes resident theatrical shows such as ‘House of Dancing Water’ at Melco Resorts & Entertainment Ltd’s City of Dreams property, and ‘Macau 2049’ at MGM China Holdings Ltd’s MGM Cotai complex.
Galaxy Entertainment Group Ltd continues to lead the market both in terms of the number of shows by a single operator in a single month, and their variety.
It has scheduled 20 in August across its various performance venues, including 11 at Galaxy Arena at Galaxy International Convention Center on Cotai. The rest are mostly smaller-scale concerts held either at G Box at Galaxy Macau, or Broadway Theatre at next-door Broadway Macau.
Galaxy Arena has six concerts by Hong Kong singer Eason Chan spread across two consecutive weekends during August. There’s also a music awards event held by Tencent Music Entertainment from August 22 to August 24, as well as two sessions of concerts by South Korean pop artist Baekhyun at the end of the month.
Sands China Ltd is hosting five concerts in August. Three of them are scheduled at Venetian Arena; one at Londoner Arena, and another at the Venetian Theatre. The arena-show lineup includes talent from Warner Music Hong Kong; K-pop acts i-dle, Taemin, KEP1ER, NOWZ and KickFlip, and renowned Mando-pop singers Jeff Chang and Sun Nan.
Studio City, a Cotai property promoted by Melco Resorts, is to see a concert apiece from three South Korean acts: Highlight, Daesung, and Kara – to be held in August.
Grand Lisboa Palace, run by SJM Holdings Ltd, hosts a “fan meeting” with South Korean singer and rapper Lee Jun-young, and a concert from Taiwan singer and actor Richie Jen in the current month.
MGM Cotai is hosting a concert from Hong Kong actor and singer Ekin Cheng on Saturday (August 9). The Wynn Palace property on Cotai promoted by Wynn Macau Ltd, welcomes Chinese pop duo Chopsticks Brothers on August 23.
Macau’s government has been encouraging all six Macau gaming concessionaires to increase the amount of non-gaming events and attractions they offer, to help diversify the city’s gaming resort sector beyond high-stakes gambling.
A number of investment analysts has also suggested that shows by some artists have helped bring incremental gambling business to the host resorts, and in some cases their neigbouring properties.
Craig Billings, chairman and chief executive of Wynn Resorts Ltd – parent of Macau operator Wynn Macau Ltd – discussed on the group’s second-quarter earnings call on Thursday, its plan to complete an “event centre” at its Wynn Palace property on Cotai, by “early 2028”.
“We need the capability to drive entertainment,” as it had been proven to help the whole Macau market, said the group CEO.
As of Thursday, 15 shows were scheduled for the city’s casino resorts in September. Of those, only five are arena-based concerts. They are: a concert from Hong Kong rock band Dear Jane to be held at Galaxy Arena on September 13; the September 20 and September 21 concerts from Hong Kong singer and actress Stephy Tang at Venetian Arena, and the September 27 and September 28 concerts from South Korean K-pop girl-group, Twice, at the same venue.
