Macau, January 12, 2015 – Melco Crown Entertainment Limited (SEHK: 6883) (NASDAQ: MPEL) a developer, owner and operator of casino gaming and entertainment resort facilities in Asia, today unveiled details of its thrilling new cinematically-themed gaming, entertainment and leisure destination resort in Macau: Studio City.
The US$3.2 billion, Hollywood-inspired, gaming and entertainment complex will transport the visitor into a stunning cinematic world with awe-inspiring entertainment offerings, delivered by the world’s leading entertainment partners, positioning this new destination resort as Asia’s entertainment capital.
Studio City will encompass the pinnacle of international and Asian leisure-destination inspired entertainment, supported and endorsed by icons of Hollywood’s entertainment industry.
In a world first, a sneak peek of a tantalizing new film trailer promoting “The Audition” – a special short-movie set around a Studio City storyline which marks the very first time Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro and Brad Pitt have all starred together under the direction of Academy Award-winning film director, Martin Scorsese – was provided at today’s unveiling event in Macau, China. The movie was produced by acclaimed Hollywood producer, RatPac Entertainment’s Brett Ratner, the director of movie blockbusters, “Red Dragon”, ‘‘X-Men: The Last Stand”, “Hercules” and the “Rush Hour” film franchise.
Mr. Brett Ratner said: “This short film is a historic event because it is the first film ever to star such legendary actors as Robert De Niro, Leonardo Dicaprio and Brad Pitt in one film together. Mr. Lawrence Ho and Mr. James Packer served as Executive Producers and convinced iconic filmmaker Martin Scorsese to direct the film whom I was thrilled to have the opportunity to collaborate with. The cooperation between Mr. Scorsese and the Melco Crown Entertainment brand is synergistic because of the fact that Mr. Scorsese directed the film “Casino” starring Robert DeNiro. Mr. Scorsese has collaborated with Mr. DeNiro on 8 films and with Mr. DiCaprio on 5 films and is working with Mr. Pitt for the first time. Our hope is that the trailer for “The Audition” gives audiences an early look into what will surely be an important cinematic experience directed by one of the most culturally influential directors in the history of Hollywood films. I look forward to the Global Premiere of the film at the launch of Studio City in mid-2015.”
Set against a backdrop of Art Deco-inspired architecture, Studio City will deliver movie-star treatment to all its visitors, with the most diverse collection of entertainment offerings ever seen in Macau; a glamorous two-tower hotel; and highly sophisticated and immersive shopping and dining experiences.
“Studio City will represent Asia’s ‘next generation’ of immersive, world-leading, entertainment-driven gaming and leisure destination experiences, as we work to support Macau’s tourism development and diversification,” said Mr. Lawrence Ho, Co-Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Melco Crown Entertainment.
“It will take the entertainment-inspired leisure destination concept to new levels, in a cinematic setting developed in partnership with the world’s leading entertainment brands, supported and endorsed by many of the legends of Hollywood - including this very special short-film collaboration with Brett Ratner, Martin Scorsese, and superstars Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro and Brad Pitt.”
Melco Crown Entertainment also announced a partnership to bring the unrivalled portfolio of many of the most iconic DC Comics’ Super Heroes and Warner Bros.’ classic characters to life, in collaboration with Warner Bros. and DC Entertainment.
“We are also thrilled to announce a collaboration to bring the unrivaled portfolio of some of the most iconic DC Comics’ Super Heroes and Warner Bros.’ classic characters to life, together with Warner Bros. and DC Entertainment. We are excited to introduce Macau to the exhilarating Batman Dark Flight, a virtual-reality ride that will allow fans of the Caped Crusader to soar over Gotham City, and we look forward to unveiling the Warner Bros. Family Entertainment Center, where families and children can play among many of their favorite characters,” said Mr. Ho.
“Studio City will radically enhance and diversify Macau’s evolving leisure experiences as Melco Crown Entertainment works to anticipate, innovate and ultimately satisfy the ever-growing needs of the region’s and world’s leisure destination visitors.”
Iconic Macau Landmark
When completed later in 2015, Studio City’s towering facade will feature a new, iconic, Macau landmark - the Golden Eye - which at 130 meters will be Asia’s highest Ferris wheel. It is inspired by having two asteroids shooting through a Gotham City building.
The Golden Eye straddles the two-tower Studio City hotel, set to offer visitors luxurious accommodations and red-carpet ‘star’ service. Comprising the Celebrity Tower and the premium Star Tower, the hotel will offer approximately 1,600 rooms, each designed in Art Deco style.
Redefining Asia’s Entertainment Destination Landscape
Studio City is designed to be the most diversified entertainment resort offering in Macau, with more world-class entertainment amenities than any integrated resort in the market. It will represent the pinnacle of entertainment-driven leisure destination experiences in Asia.
The world’s first Batman film franchise digital ride, DC Comics’ Batman Dark Flight, delivers visitors an exhilarating adventure through the night, in an action-packed motion ride, providing thrill-seekers with a virtual reality Batman experience. Fly through Gotham City, following Batman around the city as he brings some of the most notable Super-Villains from his Rogue’s Gallery to justice.
Kevin Tsujihara, Chairman and CEO, Warner Bros. commented, “The Warner Bros. and DC Comics portfolio of properties offers a unique and engaging experience for fans of all ages. We are delighted to collaborate with Melco Crown Entertainment to bring these characters to a world-class project like Macau’s Studio City.”
The resort’s stunning entertainment offerings also include:
Family Entertainment Center, a 30,000 sq. foot fun-filled Family Entertainment Center for kids, is packed with many of your favorite Warner Bros. and DC Comics characters. Kids will get an unforgettable, immersive play experience - bouncing through the air with the Looney Tunes and playing with Tom and Jerry, to climbing on structures with Batman and Superman and driving go-karts with Wonder Woman and The Flash. The Family Entertainment Center will also include a Dark Ride that will for the first time in Warner Bros.’ history combine characters from DC Comics, Looney Tunes and Hanna-Barbera Productions within a single attraction experience. This incredible family-orientated facility will allow families to shop and dine as well as enjoy an animation academy, a cinema to catch classic and new animated programs and even a memorable birthday party venue with customizable private party rooms.
The House of Magic, offers guests an incredible live magical experience showcasing the world's greatest magicians. Designed, curated and hosted by acclaimed illusionist, Franz Harary, The House of Magic features an array of mind-bending shows including Harary's award winning spectacular, Mega Magic. This amazing mystical journey all takes place in the new Asia capital of magic and illusion arts.
Mr. Franz Harary said: “My magic has taken me around the planet introducing me to the world’s greatest illusionists. Today, I am proud to bring those incredible wizards to Macau, showcasing their art in a place designed to let their magic shine! Welcome, to the House of Magic at Studio City—sure to become the premier performance venue for magicians globally!”
Studio City Entertainment Center, a 5,000-seat multi-purpose entertainment center for exciting live concerts, theatrical and top sporting events. The center will be managed by Global Spectrum, which is part of Comcast-Spectacor, one of the world’s largest sports and entertainment companies.
Studio 8, a fully-operational TV broadcast studio, providing visitors with an opportunity to watch the filming of Asia’s top television shows.
Pacha Nightclub, one of the world’s biggest names in nightclubs with venues in numerous major cities, including Ibiza, New York, Dubai, Buenos Aires and Sydney, will bring Ibiza-style nightlife to Macau for the very first time and will be electrifying Macau’s burgeoning club scene.
Luxury Lifestyle
Studio City also offers leisure-seekers fun, immersive, ‘entertainment environment’ experiences including:
Podium Deck Lazy River, a showcase attraction for hotel guests, an exotic jungle river-themed water ride that meanders through a lushly landscaped podium-level pool deck.
Cosmos Food Court, a space station-themed food court dining experience. Holographic projection technology re-creates space travel with a gigantic viewing window looking out in to deep space.
Visitors can dine like the stars, with a diverse array of gourmet experiences across a range of exciting restaurants and bars to suit every taste. Studio City offers an eclectic collection of over 30 outlets comprising the very best of Asian and international fine-dining, together with cafe, lounge and casual eatery options.
Themed Retail Experience
The Boulevard at Studio City will bring the world’s best retail experiences to life in Macau. Showcased in a movie-studio environment, seamlessly transporting guests from an upscale arcade to high energy lifelike streetscapes, shoppers will be entertained at every turn. Luxurious fashion, unique timepieces and chic accessories will tempt customers as they stroll the 300,000 sq. foot mall.
The sophisticated and glamourous mix of the hottest fashion labels in the world today has been handpicked to delight Studio City’s discerning, fashion-conscious shopper.
Merchandised and managed by Taubman Asia, The Boulevard at Studio City will be Macau’s shopping hot spot.
Studio City, along with its sister property, the highly-successful City of Dreams Macau, represents the next phase in Melco Crown Entertainment’s ongoing strategic mission to aggregate, develop and deliver world-leading, highly innovative entertainment brands catering to the rapidly growing leisure and entertainment demands of enthusiastic leisure destination travelers, both regionally and internationally, seeking unique and ever more exciting travel experiences.
Safe Harbor Statement
This release contains forward-looking statements. These statements are made under the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The Company may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its periodic reports to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), in its annual report to shareholders, in press releases and other written materials and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about the Company's beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, and a number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement. These factors include, but are not limited to, (i) growth of the gaming market and visitation in Macau and the Philippines, (ii) capital and credit market volatility, (iii) local and global economic conditions, (iv) our anticipated growth strategies, and (v) our future business development, results of operations and financial condition. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by words or phrases such as "may", "will", "expect", "anticipate", "target", "aim", "estimate", "intend", "plan", "believe", "potential", "continue", "is/are likely to" or other similar expressions. Further information regarding these and other risks, uncertainties or factors is included in the Company's filings with the SEC. All information provided in this release is as of the date of this release, and the Company undertakes no duty to update such information, except as required under applicable law.
About Studio City
Studio City, when it opens in mid-2015, is set to take Macau’s entertainment destination proposition to unprecedented new levels, by providing a ‘next generation’ of outstanding entertainment-driven leisure destination experiences that will help the territory’s evolution into a truly international tourism center.
The Hollywood-themed studio-concept resort is a thrilling new cinematic inspired entertainment and leisure destination and is designed to be the most diversified entertainment offering in Macau. Ideally located on Cotai, close to the Lotus Bridge immigration point connecting Hengqin Island and a future station-point for the Macau Light Rapid Transit (LTR), Studio City will deliver more world-class entertainment amenities than any integrated resort in the market.
Studio City’s stunning Art-Deco facade includes an iconic “Golden Eye” gondola ride which straddles the resort’s two-tower hotel at a height of some 130 meters. The integrated resort will provide the ultimate in sophisticated leisure entertainment, hotel, retail, dining and lifestyle experiences.
The resort’s innovative entertainment offerings include “Studio City Entertainment Center”, a 5,000-seat multi-purpose entertainment center designed to host live concerts, theatrical and sporting events; and “Studio 8”, a 300-seat live-audience TV broadcast studio for reality and game-show productions distributed in the Asia region. The entertainment experiences also include a magic theatre “The House of Magic” and a Warner Bros. Batman-themed motion ride “Batman Dark Flight”, together with a 30,000 square foot Family Entertainment Center for kids filled with Warner Bros.’ and DC Comics’ franchise characters and play-rides.
Studio City is destined to deliver an unparalleled leisure entertainment and hospitality experience, strengthening the depth and diversity of Macau’s leisure, business and tourism proposition as a leading visitor destination in Asia.
About Melco Crown Entertainment Limited
Melco Crown Entertainment, with its shares listed on the Main Board of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (the “Hong Kong Stock Exchange”) (SEHK: 6883) and its American depositary shares listed on the NASDAQ Global Select Market (NASDAQ: MPEL), is a developer, owner and operator of casino gaming and entertainment casino resort facilities in Asia. Melco Crown Entertainment currently operates Altira Macau (www.altiramacau.com), a casino hotel located at Taipa, Macau and City of Dreams (www.cityofdreamsmacau.com), an integrated urban casino resort located in Cotai, Macau. Melco Crown Entertainment’s business also includes the Mocha Clubs (www.mochaclubs.com), which comprise the largest non-casino based operations of electronic gaming machines in Macau. The Company is also developing the planned Studio City Project, a cinematically-themed integrated entertainment, retail and gaming resort in Cotai, Macau. In the Philippines, Melco Crown (Philippines) Resorts Corporation’s subsidiary, MCE Leisure (Philippines) Corporation, solely operates and manages City of Dreams Manila (www.cityofdreams.com.ph), a casino, hotel, retail and entertainment integrated resort in the Entertainment City complex in Manila. For more information about Melco Crown Entertainment, please visit www.melco-crown.com.
Melco Crown Entertainment has strong support from both of its major shareholders, Melco International Development Limited ("Melco") and Crown Resorts Limited ("Crown"). Melco is a listed company on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and is substantially owned and led by Mr. Lawrence Ho, who is Co-Chairman, an Executive Director and the CEO of Melco Crown Entertainment. Crown is a top-50 company listed on the Australian Securities Exchange and led by Chairman Mr. James Packer, who is also Co-Chairman and a Non-executive Director of Melco Crown Entertainment.
