Hoi An South Development Ltd., now building the $4 billion Hoiana casino resort in Vietnam, has appointed Steve Wolstenholme as group chief operating officer for the project, located about 19 miles south of Da Nang.
“We are delighted to welcome such an experienced executive to our team, and with his strong background in pre-opening large scale projects Steve will play a critical role in our success,” said Richard Lam, the company’s chief executive, in a statement. “Steve is a proven leader with an extensive knowledge of gaming and hospitality across many markets.”
Prior to joining Hoiana, Wolstenholme was president and managing director of Okada Manila, in the Philippines’ Entertainment City. He was formerly president and COO of the 2,000-room Grand Sierra Resort in Reno, Nevada and COO of Galaxy Macau.
Lam cited the new COO’s “commitment to not only building the business, but also his background in contributing to the local community through leading CSR initiatives, (as) an important factor in his appointment. We are very confident that with Steve’s leadership, Hoiana will establish itself as one of the region’s most successful integrated resort developments.”
The integrated resort, a joint venture between Suncity Group, VinaCapital and VMS Investment Group, is due to open in 2019. Phase I of the project will include three luxury hotels, a casino, multiple food and beverage outlets and a world-class golf course.
Wolstenholme, who first joined Okada Manila in September 2015, holds an executive MBA from the Ivey Business School at the University of Western Ontario in Canada and has served on numerous community and business boards and foundations around the world.
According to brokerage Union Gaming Securities Asia Ltd, Hoiana could potentially generate “Macau flagship levels” of VIP gaming volume, reported GGRAsia.
