Real estate investor Belle Corp. and its gaming subsidiary Premium Leisure Corp.—joint venture partners in Melco Resorts’ City of Dreams, in Manila’s Entertainment City—have expressed their interest in developing a second integrated resort in the Philippines.
According to Inside Asian Gaming, Belle Corp. added “there are no definite plans at this time”; any plan would have to be approved by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp., the country’s state-run regulator.
Speaking to reporters last month, Belle Corp. President and CEO Manuel A. Gana referenced Manila casino operator Bloomberry Resorts’ plan to build a second Solaire-branded IR in Quezon City.
“When Bloomberry does that, we’d be totally in our rights to ask PAGCOR for a second license to level the playing field. So that’s definitely on our mind,” he said. “We figured it’s going to be easier once Solaire opens the Quezon City casino.”
The resort could be located outside Manila, he added. “The thing is to be flexible based on unfolding economic and political situations, so we will have to seek an opening. Right now the hope is to get a license … we’re not partial. In fact some provincial locations are even better than Metro Manila or Clark.”
Chainman Willy Ocier confirmed that Premium Leisure “is always open to expansion opportunities. We note, however, that any expansion of City of Dreams Manila are merely exploratory at this time, and no definite plans have been made as of yet.”
