Macau,where hospitality development has been progressing at a breakneck pace, has another new luxury hotel: a 360-room Four Seasons with 27,500 sf of meeting space, steps from the Cotai Strip Convention & Exhibition Centre. The hotel, however,will be the last one to appear for a while on the Cotai Strip, the “Las Vegas of the East” brainchild of gaming magnate Sheldon Adelson.
The Four Seasons Macao, Cotai Strip was developed by Venetian Cotai Ltd., a subsidiary of Adelson’s now-struggling Las Vegas Sands Corp., which has put development of the Cotai Strip on hold.
Sands’massive Venetian Macao Resort Hotel has headlined the Cotai Strip since coming on last year, and eight hotels were in development before the company announced last month that it was suspending construction because it was having trouble raising funds and close to defaulting on loans.
Starwood was scheduled to run the world’s largest Sheraton (3,985 rooms), as well as a St. Regis (460), in 2009,while Hilton was slated to run Hilton (1,200) and Conrad (300) properties. Fairmont was set to manage both Fairmont and Raffles hotels totaling 1,500 rooms in 2010.And Shangri-La was to manage a 636-room Shangri-La and a 1,259-room Traders hotel in 2009.
Meanwhile, another megaresort, Macao Studio City, reportedly has delayed construction due to the credit crunch. Marriott had agreed to manage Ritz-Carlton and Marriott hotels there in 2009,while Starwood was slated to open a W Hotel at the complex in fall 2011.
While the dust settles, the Four Seasons Macao, Cotai Strip will seek out meetings, as well as convention groups. It has two ballrooms, a boardroom, and three meeting rooms. Among the bevy of amenities for incentives is a 20,000-sf spa with 14 rooms.
Originally published Dec. 15, 2008