Built Expressions Bangalore :: MGM Grand Macau, China

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MGM Grand Macau, China

Opulence Redefined

The presence of MGM Grand Hotel in Macau, China has created an iconic structure in the landscape of the region and it is a hotel known for its contemporary touch of European architecture. The emergence of the new casino hotel has marked a new entry into the field of gambling and created a history in the Asian region, which is portrayed as a new hub for gaming and gambling in Asia, thereby striking its Las Vegas competitor.

Space Management

MGM Macau is an award-winning, five-star integrated casino and luxury hotel resort located on the Macau Peninsula, the center of gaming activity in the greater China region. The casino has a floor area of approximately 28,976 square meters with 1,006 slot machines, 427 gaming tables and multiple VIP and private gaming areas. The hotel comprises a 35-story tower with 587 deluxe rooms, including 468 standard guest rooms, 99 luxury suites, 20 private luxury villas, dedicated leisure areas, 10 restaurants and bars. The property is directly connected to the One Central complex, which features many of the world’s leading luxury retailers and includes a Mandarin Oriental Hotel comprising of serviced apartments. MGM Macau was designed by renowned architects, Wong & Tung International Ltd., to blend both Eastern and Western design cues and pay homage to Macau’s multi-faceted history. In addition to the exterior facade’s distinctive "ocean wave" design, a 63-ton, 10-meter tall golden lion the hallmark of the MGM brand and a symbol of prosperity sits outside and adds another iconic landmark to the property. The brief of the 33 storey hotel virtually calls for three-hotel-in-one; requiring discrete sections or blocks of standard rooms, suites, and penultimate mansions.

These were physically expressed as discrete counter undulating slab blocks placed on top and sliding over one another, seemingly with the casualness of a child’s building blocks. The interior of MGM Macau fuses the Las Vegas know-how of MGM Resorts International with our understanding of local tastes to create an atmosphere with broad appeal that is distinctly Macau.

Traditional Portuguese heritage

The design concept for much of this hotel is influenced by the region’s traditional Portuguese heritage. Designs were referred back to the original old buildings in Portugal with specific features coming from details of castles and grand houses found all over the country, bringing opulence and grandeur to Macau like never before. Such details include carved stone architraves, stained glass windows, carved marble, forged ironwork in the architecture, bespoke lighting and furnishings, and courtyard mosaic floor patterns. Special attention was paid to the use of a specific shade of blue which appears in traditional Portuguese architecture. The color is revealed in the stained-glass windows, lanterns, ceramic balustrades, embossed leather, and marble flooring throughout the hotel. It is particularly prominent in the VIP lobby, which takes the form of a walled garden. The intricately cut floor employs an infinite number of marbles and onyx types handpicked by Wilson Associates’ designers from stone quarries in Europe. One of the most striking is Lapis lazuli, a semi-precious stone prized for its intense blue color.

This describes the overall style of the hotel as Portuguese with a hint of the Orient. It reveals an ornate richness and attention to detail that is only seen in Portuguese grand houses and castles. This theme was interpreted in different ways throughout the various areas of the hotel and the client gave a very clear direction to incorporate a storyline relating all of the spaces together. The link between these spaces and the heart of the resort is the Grande Praça. Two and a half times the size of the Conservatory at Las Vegas Bellagio, the Grande Praça showcases European-inspired architecture. The design of one façade in particular is reminiscent of the central train station in Lisbon. The high glass ceiling allows maximum natural light into the courtyard creating an outside, inside. This concept is unique in Macau and its grandeur inevitably extends to the exquisite western and oriental cuisine of the resort’s 12 themed bars and lounges.

Central Attraction

The hotel features colorful hand-blown glass adornments by Dale Chihuly, including the massive "Fiori di Paradiso" chandelier and distinctive sculptures by Dali and other artists in the main lobby and entrance. The interior rooms and restaurants also feature the work of famed designers such as Super Potato and Wilson & Associates. The suites and villas can be accessed through private VIP lobbies featuring two-story ceilings painted with 24-carat gold filigree, handmade floor-to-ceiling tapestries and marble and lapis-lined floors, walls and exclusive VIP elevators. MGM Macau’s centerpiece, the 1,088 square meters Grande Praça features a 25-meter high glass sky dome and European-inspired facades, including the main facade which is fashioned after the Estaça˜o Rossio, Lisbon’s central rail station. The Grande Praça is visible from a number of restaurants as well as areas of the upper gaming floor and is host to a variety of special exhibitions, shows, displays and various special occasions and events.

MGM GRAND Macau is filled with artistic inspirations. Besides the presence of Dale Chihuly, one could also find the works of the master in surreal art, Salvador Dali, in many parts of the hotel. The masterpieces in MGM GRAND Macau include, "Piano Surrealist", "Dalinian Dancer", "Woman of Time", etc. The Six Senses Spa occupies 2,720 sq m that includes twelve treatment areas with state-of-the-art facilities such as the floatation pool, vitality pool with air loungers, herbal steam room, snow room, Hamam and sauna, etc. The sanctuary is designed according to the Five Elements of the Universe Metal, Wood, Water, Fire and Earth.

LED Facade

The gentle counter-synchronized sinuous undulation of the facade recalls the rolling swell of the South China Sea. The undulation permeates in through and inform on the plan layout, with consistent room depths carving a meandering corridor journey from lift lobby to the guest rooms. It is also the defining source of inspiration for the interior design. MGM Grand Hotel and Casino in Macau features an impressive LED display from Opto Tech Corporation of Taiwan, which the company describes as the world's first true outdoor 16mm SMD LED display. The facade comprises three distinct sections. The centerpiece is a 1408 x 768 pixel, 180-degree curved 16mm SMD video screen, flanked by a number of smaller 16mm SMD LED display panels, and vertical LED tubes. The overall effect is of a much larger display, which is used for promotional videos, event previews etc., and which is uniquely able to display full resolution HD video. The management of the MGM Grand chose the Opto Tech solution because of its unrivalled 180-degree all-round viewing angle, high brightness and contrast ratio during daylight, and the stunning image quality when viewed at close quarters.

Gaming Floor

MGM Macau's casino currently occupies approximately 28,976 square meters of floor area, offering 24-hour gaming and a full range of games. The layout of our main gaming floor is organized using the different market segments we target, namely the four tiers of our Golden Lion Club loyalty program, as a basis for placing tables and games in such a way to maximize their aspiration appeal. Although most of the floor features an open floor plan, design elements shift in an effort to create an impression of increasing luxury and exclusivity as patrons ascend from lower to higher limit gaming. To add to this appeal, we have also created a separate area on the main floor for high-end slot machines as well as the more exclusive Las Vegas Room, which features its own bar, elevated floors and higher-end table gaming in a more private and contemporary Las Vegas-style statement. The Supreme Gaming area occupies an expansive 1,785 square meter space across from our most high-end gaming tables on the main floor and in proximity to the Las Vegas Room. The Supreme Gaming area is being designed by the well known hospitality industry designer, Hirsch Bedner Associates and features raised floors, exclusive facilities and luxury amenities and two exclusive entry-ways- one from the main gaming floor as well as a more private entry from the VIP lobby.

Opulence Redefined

At 48 to 63 square meters in total floor area, standard guestrooms are among the largest in Macau and the design of these rooms and the wide assortment of luxury amenities were chosen to be responsive to the needs of gaming patrons as well as regional leisure and business travelers with an eye toward attracting and retaining more multi-night leisure or business visitors to Macau. The hotel's 99 luxury suites are located on floors 20-28 of the hotel tower and range from 102 to 220 square meters in total floor area. There are nine different luxury suite floor plans and two different color schemes: "espresso" and "cinnamon." All one bedroom suites are equipped with one and a half bathrooms, while two-bedroom suites are equipped with two and a half bathrooms. In addition to all the amenities offered in our standard guestrooms, our luxury suites feature spacious walk-in closets, an entertainment area with a home theater system, heated marble bathroom floors, an oversized Jacuzzi tub and an additional flat screen TV in the bathroom concealed behind a mirror.

The private luxury villas are designed to cater to our most discerning VIP patrons. Each villa is located on floors 30-33 and is between 219 and 380 square meters in total floor area. Each villa has a grand entrance lined with marble to match one of the three themes of "Gold", "Burgundy" (on floors 30-32), or "Jade" (floor 33). All villas feature contemporary designer furnishings, antique style mirrors and come with an around-the-clock butler and chef service, as well as a private pantry, full kitchen, separate lounge and entertainment areas and a Saint-Louis chandelier to illuminate the dining area.

MGM Macau features several restaurants catering to a broad range of international tastes. The restaurants at the hotel provide high quality food, service and décor, which is the additional reasons for gaming patrons to visit and stay at MGM Macau. Precious works of art can be found throughout MGM Macau and the Chihuly Gallery Macau, the first Asian gallery of renowned artist Dale Chihuly, located at the hotel lobby. Elsewhere on the grounds, patrons can find additional pieces by Dale Chihuly, including the massive "Fiori di Paradiso" chandelier that was designed specifically for MGM Macau. MGM Macau features approximately 1,593 square meters of convention, meeting and reception space, which includes a grand ballroom, three salons and the Vista, an area for private parties and gatherings. All areas feature advanced audio visual and internet capabilities, while the Vista, which overlooks the pool, also offers unobstructed views of the South China Sea from its floor-to-ceiling glass windows.

The casino hotel has penetrated into the gaming sector with a stunning force and astounding appearance. The architect as utilized the various styles of architecture to give a splendid touch to the structure. Most importantly the chain of restaurants, six senses spa, art collection etc. are the center of attraction to its visitors and the exceptional hospitality services showcases the kind of commitment and brand appeal to the whole world. Thus MGM Grand Macau is the new hub for entertainment and gaming in the Asian continent.

Box Item

Location- Nam Van, Macau

Site area -22,000 sq m

GFA Hotel - 145,742 sq m

Casino - 28,390 sq m

Number of hotel rooms Approx 600 (Duplex Villas – 2; Villas – 24; Suites – 99; Guestrooms - 468)

Number of hotel tower's storeys - 35

Area of hotel rooms Duplex Villas – 440 and 540 sq m

Villas – 220 to 380 sq m

Suites – 138 to 220 sq m

Guestrooms- 48 to 66 sq m

Area of Grande Praca -1,088 sq m