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US – Resorts World Catskills opens with Asian edge

By - 19 February 2018

Resorts World Catskills flung open its doors last week ‘expecting to wow the Asian gaming market,’ according to Empire Resorts Executive Vice President, Charlie Degliomini. The Asian American population has increased from 11.9m in 2003 to 20.4m and is now the fastest growing ethnic group in the US, and is a key demographic for the casino. New York City has the largest Chinese population in any city outside of China with 562,204 Chinese people living there in 2016. The casino opened on February 8 giving it enough time to prepare for Chinese New Year events for the Year of the Dog, which started on February 16.

The casino, which is backed by Lim Kok Thay, a Malaysian Chinese billionaire, and is using the branding from Malaysian casino giant Genting, even has Mandarin good luck etched into its address which is 888 Resorts World Drive. “It’s a significant part of the market we want to capture,” said Mr. Degliomini.

The property has employed Calvin Quach as Vice President, International Marketing, and Angela Wu as Executive Director ‘to spotlight Asian culture and international markets as part of its core business model.’

Naturally a Feng Shui expert oversaw the layout of the casino which has a curved rather than a straight path to prevent luck from flowing out of the door’ whilst more than 100 of the 625 dealers speak an Asian language including Mandarin, Cantonese, Fuzhounese, Thai, Korean or Vietnamese.

The gaming floor has about 112 table games with Asian games accounting for 56 of these. Baccarat, mini-baccarat, pai gow, pai gow poker and sic bo are offered in a separate section that takes up 30 per cent of the 100,000sq.ft footprint.

Ryan Eller, President and CEO of Empire Resorts, owner of Resorts World Catskills, said: “The Lunar New Year offers the perfect opportunity to showcase all of our amenities and services that provide an authentic Asian cultural and gaming experience. I’m incredibly proud of all of the hard work and dedication from our staff, local officials and the community that went into making this day possible. We’re committed to having a positive impact on the region and we’re looking forward to continuing to collaborate with the local community to ensure this happens. We are open for business and are ready to offer our guests unparalleled Local dignitaries were extremely complimentary about the casino, which has opened with 2,150 high-tech slots and 112 live table games.

Senator Bonacic added: “As we celebrate the opening of the fourth casino in upstate New York, we also mark an exciting new chapter for growth and prosperity in the region. Resorts World Catskills will deliver countless opportunities for the Catskills and we are incredibly optimistic for its future.”

“After years of collaboration among so many stakeholders, it is exciting to see our long-held vision to build a casino in Sullivan County come to fruition,” added Assemblywoman Gunther. “In addition to creating much needed jobs in the region, we look forward to the positive economic impact Resorts World Catskills will generate as a key driver of tourism to our region.”

“We are thrilled to be here today to commemorate this momentous occasion,” said Assemblyman Pretlow. “The launch of Resorts World Catskills in the very heart of Sullivan County will immeasurably enhance the region’s business, cultural, and aesthetic landscape and represents the re-emergence of the Catskills as a tourism destination that attracts visitors from across the country and beyond.”

“Today marks a major milestone, not only for Resorts World Catskills, but for all of Sullivan County,” said Luis Alvarez, Chairman of the Sullivan County Legislature. “We are confident that this casino resort will serve as a beacon of hope, opportunity and excitement for the region by generating new jobs, driving tourism, and contributing millions of dollars to our state and local economies.”

“The official opening of Resorts World Catskills has and will continue to serve as a catalyst for growth throughout the area,” said William J. Rieber, Jr., Supervisor of the Town of Thompson. “As the largest project in Thompson’s history, the luxury casino resort will drive tourism to the region and bolster economic opportunity while enhancing the town’s business and cultural landscape.”

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