Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts to manage 1,500 new Rooms in Macau

Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts has signed a management agreement with developer Venetian Cotai Limited, a subsidiary of Venetian Macau Limited, to operate the Shangri-La Hotel, Macau and the Traders Hotel, Macau, both scheduled to open in 2008.

The properties will be located on the Cotai Strip, a few minutes drive from the airport and 20-minute drive from downtown. Cotai, dubbed "Asia's Las Vegas," is a master planned development of hotel properties, casinos, entertainment attractions, retail, and meetings and conventions facilities, projected to become the world's largest gaming and entertainment centre.

The 500-room Shangri-La hotel and 1,000-room Traders hotel will occupy a 39-floor building, designed by leading US and Asia architects and designers. Contemporary design, and a full range of facilities and services, will cater to both convention and leisure travellers to the city. The tower will include a casino, performance hall and large retail shopping mall, none of which will be operated by Shangri-La.

"There has been tremendous growth in tourism to Macau in the last couple of years due to the destination's spectacular development and increasing appeal to mainland Chinese and international travellers," said Giovanni Angelini, chief executive officer and managing director of Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts.

The deluxe Shangri-La hotel will feature spacious guestrooms averaging 54 square metres with views of the Cotai Strip. Several Horizon Club floors will offer exclusive privileges of dedicated concierge service, express check-in and check-out, complimentary meeting space, and lounge for complimentary cocktails and refreshments.

Shangri-La's, signature spa brand -- CHI, The Spa at Shangri-La -- will feature a fusion of Chinese and Himalayan healing therapies inspired by the Shangri-La legend. Treatments will take place in spacious spa suites, designed to create a "spa within a spa" atmosphere. Recreational facilities, including a health club, and indoor and outdoor swimming pools, will also be available.

Creative, stylish dining will be offered by a feature restaurant serving Macanese, Italian and Chinese cuisines.

The property will offer significant meeting and function space, including a grand ballroom, junior ballroom, auditorium and function rooms. The hotel will also have a full service business centre.

Traders Hotel, Macau, catering to the mid-market travel segment, will provide a comprehensive range of facilities, and swift and friendly service at competitive rates. Guestrooms will average 40 square metres in size. Traders Club floors will offer concierge service, express check-in and check-out, complimentary meeting space, and lounge for complimentary cocktails and refreshments. The bustling lobby will be the true "heart of the hotel" complete with an all day coffee shop.

"We are partnering with Shangri-La due to its long-standing reputation for delivering superlative service," said Frank McFadden, chief operating officer of Venetian Macau Ltd. "Establishing both Shangri-La and Traders hotels strategically strengthens the market mix of the Cotai Strip, destined to become 'Asia's Las Vegas'."

Las Vegas Sands Corp. is a hotel, gaming, resort and exhibition/convention company headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. The company owns The Venetian Resort Hotel Casino and the Sands Expo and Convention Center, where it hosts exhibitions and conventions, in Las Vegas and the Sands Macao in the People's Republic of China Special Administrative Region of Macao. The company is also developing additional casino hotel resort properties, including The Palazzo Resort Hotel Casino in Las Vegas and The Venetian Macao Casino Resort in Macao.

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