On May 25, Bloomberry Resorts introduced a billion-dollar addition to the Metro Manila gaming scene. Solaire Resort North, an integrated resort (IR) in Vertis, Quezon City, features 526 hotel rooms and suites, and a four-level casino with 2,669 electronic gaming machines and 163 tables.
At the grand opening, Bloomberry Chairman and Chief Executive Enrique Razon was joined by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Alejandro Tengco, chairman and CEO of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR). Razon said the new property will “elevate the entertainment experience” in Quezon City and serve as a “destination resort of choice” for locals and tourists.
Specifically, the property will serve “the burgeoning tourism demand north of Metro Manila and the nearby provinces that are enjoying rapid commercial and residential development,” Razon said. “We hope to bolster economic activity in Quezon City by encouraging visitors—both Filipinos and foreigners—to explore and discover the city. We are bringing only the exceptional to Solaire North, from architecture, interiors, accommodation, gaming, cuisine and art to entertainment.”
In his comments, Tengco said projects like Solaire bring “more jobs and better opportunities for our people, especially those in the tourism and leisure industries,” and the new IR marks “a new era not only for the Philippine gaming industry but also for the tourism industry.”
Marcos, too, believes the new IR will increase visitation to the Philippines in the post-pandemic era.
In comments reported by the Philippine Star, he said, “Hotels, restaurants, recreational amenities and tourist spots have slowly but surely risen to the challenge of travel resurgence, welcoming 5.45 million inbound tourists in 2023. This is more than double the 2.65 million visitors recorded in 2022. I am certain that Solaire Resort North is with us in our desire to capitalize in this strength further to improve our position in the global hospitality sector.”
Marcos also said the gaming industry has contributed to job creation in the nation, employing around 100,000 people in 2019, before Covid. With that global crisis in the past, Marcos said he’s letting “the entire world know that the Philippines is open for tourism (and) for business.”
Bloomberry’s flagship property, also under the Solaire brand, opened in Parañaque City, Metro Manila, in 2013. Marcos said it has “already set the standard for quality and innovation in providing tourism and hospitality services to its guests from around the country and all over the world.
“So as we open the doors of Solaire Resort North, let us open the arms to the world, inviting them to experience the warmth and beauty of our country … I am confident the world is also ready to embrace us back.”
As reported by MSN, Bloomberry saw an 11 percent decline in profits in the first quarter due to lower VIP and mass table revenues, as well as pre-operating expenses for Solaire North. Minus the latter expenses, net revenues would have dropped by 3 percent, to PHP2.9 billion (US$49.5 million).
Philippines-listed Bloomberry also operates the Jeju Sun Hotel & Casino in Jeju, South Korea. In related news, according to the Star, Bloomberry has denied speculation that it hopes to expand into Thailand, if that country legalizes IRs with gaming.
