(26 May 2006)
1. Wide of news conference
2. Cutaway of journalist
3. SOUNDBITE: (English) Professor S. Jayakumar, Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore:
"Sands (Las Vegas Sands Corporation) had submitted the best overall proposal that meets our economic and tourism objectives. In particular, the proposal would significantly strengthen Singapore's position as a leading MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions) destination and the proposal also possesses unique design elements, that will provide a memorable image for Marina Bay."
4. Various of model of Las Vegas Sands casino
5. SOUNDBITE: (English) Professor S. Jayakumar, Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore:
"Sands (Las Vegas Sands Corporation) has also committed the highest development investment of 3.85 billion dollars... 3.85 Singapore billion dollars. With the land price and associated capital costs, Sands' (Las Vagas Sands Corporation) total investment will exceed Singapore 5 billion dollars."
6. Pan from Singapore downtown to area where Casino is expected to be built
7. Zoom out of model of Casino on display at news conference
8. SOUNDBITE: (English) Lim Hng Kiang, Singapore's Minister for Trade and Industry
"Visitor arrivals and visitor tourist revenue would add another 2.7 billion (Singapore dollars) to our GDP (Gross Domestic Product) by the year 2015, or about 0.08 per cent of our GDP at that time. And it would generate jobs of around of 30,000 jobs."
9. Pan of model of casino
STORYLINE:
Las Vegas Sands Corporation, one of the world's largest casino operators, has won the bid to build Singapore's first casino, the government said on Friday.
The casino-resort, which will be built on a 20.6 hectare (50.9 acre) waterfront site at Marina Bay, near the financial district, is likely to cost more than 5 billion Singapore dollars (3.16 billion US dollars), said Professor S. Jayakumar, Singapore's Deputy Prime Minister.
Speaking at a news conference, Jayakumar said Sand Corporation's proposal best met the city-state's economic and tourism objectives, and would significantly strengthen Singapore's position as a leading destination for conventions and exhibitions.
Currently, the world's costliest casino is the 2.7 billion US dollar Wynn Las Vegas, that was completed late last year.
Las Vegas Sands Corporation beat off competition from three other bidding groups: MGM Mirage and CapitaLand Limited; Harrah's Entertainment Incorporation and Keppel Land Limited; and Genting International PLC and Star Cruises Limited.
Last year Singapore reversed its decades-old ban on casino gambling, and said it would award licences to operate a casino resort at Marina Bay and another on the resort island of Sentosa, to boost tourism and help the city-state shed its straight-laced image.
Sands Corporation is expected to open the resort in 2009.
"Visitor arrivals and visitor tourist revenue would add another 2.7 billion Singapore dollars (1.7 billion US dollars) to our GDP (Gross Domestic Product) by the year 2015," said Lim Hng Kiang, Minister for Trade and Industry in Singapore.
According to the Singapore Tourism Board, the bidders were assessed according to four criteria: tourism appeal and contribution; architectural concept and design; development investment; and strength of the consortium and partners.
US casino operators have been rushing to expand in Asia to tap the region's fast-growing ranks of millionaires and middle-class consumers.
Besides vying to build a casino in Singapore, MGM Mirage and Sands Corporation are also developing properties in Macau, the only part of China where casino gaming is legal.
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