Melco Hires Hyatt to Manage Philippines Casino

Chicago-based Hyatt Hotels Corp has signed an agreement to manage Melco Crown Philippines Casino Resorts City of Dreams hotel in Manila’s newest gaming hub, the two firms said on Tuesday. The two groups did not disclose any financial details of the agreement.

The twin-tower hotel to be branded Hyatt City of Dreams Manila forms part of the $1.3 billion integrated casino resort that Melco Crown Entertainment will open this year in Entertainment City, Manila’s version of Las Vegas gaming strip.

It is Melco’s first casino venture outside of Macau, seeking to offer wealthy Chinese punters and other Asian high rollers an alternative gambling destination. Hyatt City of Dreams will feature 365 rooms and provide access to three entertainment venues in the Philippines Casino complex, Hyatt and Melco Philippines said in joint statement filed with Manila’s stock exchange.

Last year Melco Chief Executive Lawrence Ho said his group was planning to build three hotels in City of Dreams Manila, including a 260-room premium hotel under the Crown Towers chain owned by Ho’s partner in Melco, Australian billionaire James Packer.

In January, Melco announced luxury boutique hotel chain Nobu will set up its first Asia hotel in City of Dreams Manila featuring the largest nightclub in the city and a Hollywood-style theme park. City of Dreams Manila will compete with the $1.2 billion Solaire Resort & Casino of Bloomberry Resorts Corp, owned by the Philippines’ fourth-richest person, Enrique Razon.

Solaire is the first to open among four Philippines Casino resorts licensed to operate in Entertainment City in the Manila Bay area. The other two licensees are Travellers International Hotel Group Inc, a venture between Genting Hong Kong Ltd and Philippine conglomerate Alliance Global Group Inc , and Universal Entertainment Corp of Japanese billionaire Kazuo Okada.