This was published 14 years ago
Packer's dream Macau casino
10 ImagesWith much fanfare, co-owner James Packer opens new Macau casino City of Dreams.
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The latest giant Macau casino complex, James Packer's City of Dreams, opens its doors, a high-stakes test of whether a reclaimed swamp in the gaming haven can avoid sinking into obscurity.Credit:Reuters
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The grand opening was marked by a huge fireworks display, while hundreds of punters queued to try their luck at the new tables.Credit:Reuters
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City of Dreams is owned by Melco Crown Entertainment, a joint venture between Lawrence Ho and James Packer.Credit:Reuters
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City of Dreams will be the only casino to open in the former Portuguese colony in 2009 after six years of frantic construction. It is being seen as a barometre of whether the reclaimed Cotai Strip can emulate its more famous relation in Las Vegas.Credit:Reuters
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The $US2.4 billion ($A2.99 billion) complex will eventually offer more than 500 casino tables and 1,500 gaming machines, as well as top-end restaurants, shops, hotels and a lavish entertainment venue.Credit:Reuters
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James Packer smashes a guitar during the opening of the first Hard Rock Hotel in Macau at City of Dreams.Credit:Reuters
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People watch a multimedia show in The Bubble, a dome-shaped theatre at City of Dreams.Credit:Reuters
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Macau already takes in more gaming dollars than Las Vegas and Atlantic City combined on the back of a rush of deep-pocketed Chinese gamblers.Credit:Reuters
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Co-chairman and a director of Melco Crown Entertainment James Packer (L) and his wife Erica Baxter attend the opening ceremony.Credit:Reuters
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City of Dreams is hoping to help the city of 546,000 become a more rounded destination.Credit:Reuters
