Bloomberry Resorts Corp is attempting to lure Filipinos back to…the Philippines as the country attempts to wrest the casino business initiative away from Macau and Singapore. Bloomberg cites an interview with COO Michael French in which he states 400 Philippine nationals have been tempted to swap the two destinations and return home to work at the Solaire Manila Resort and Casino. He isn’t stopping there though. The hope is that the number will make up a significant percentage of the 4,500 workers needed when it opens during the first quarter of 2013.
“A Chinese high-roller is used to a style in Macau,” French told Bloomberg. “So why not hire someone who has been in that market for two or three years, who knows how these gamers think, understands the service style and the mentality of the Chinese gamer, and bring them back?”
He added: “This is not a case of a bunch of expatriates running the company. We’re bringing in Filipinos who understand the business and these are world-class folk.”
French expects the venue to start attracting international visitors within two-to-three years with the “ideal client mix” being part local and part foreign gamblers, the latter of which will be attracted by high-stakes betting.
Good news for Bloomberry is analysts believing in their way of going about it. Jonathan Ravelas, chief market strategist at BDL Unibank in Manila, admitting “the Philippines’ gain is Macau’s loss”.
Bloomberry is among Pagcor Entertainment City’s four tenants that will contribute up to PHP6.5 billion into an elevated road project. PhilStar report that Bloomberry, along with Alliance Global, Belle Corp and Universal Entertainment Corp, are to help fund the road that will link the resort with the city’s airport. Cristino Naguiat, chairman and CEO of Pagcor, added that an agreement will be signed “next week” and the rest of the PHP15.86 billion bill will be picked up by a toll operator.
