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News from February 2008

Genting Stanley's Mark Ross talks to The Stage magazine about why live entertainment boosts business

Date: 28/02/2008

Description: The Stage article with Mark Ross

With the market rapidly expanding, new laws on gambling and more casino licenses proposed, the industry is evolving. Mark Ross, Genting Stanley’s Director of Operations for the UK’s east region, tells Michael Quinn why live entertainment is essential for boosting business.

The arrival of the Malaysian gaming and entertainment giant Genting Berhad into the British casino sector in 2005 was seen by many as a vindication of government-backed plans to revitalise the industry. The proposal to introduce Las Vegas-style casinos offering a mix of gambling, live entertainment and the promise of £1 million jackpots for punters and, not least, multimillion profits for operators, lured a raft of major global players to the UK, with Genting securing a vital foothold with its £613 million takeover of Stanley Leisure.

The decision not to build the sole survivor of the 40 ‘super-casinos' mooted in the 2005 Gambling Act now looks all but certain - an announcement by Gordon Brown was expected as The Stage went to press - but it has done little to dampen the ardour of foreign casino operators. Their willingness to stake a substantial bet on the future of the British market seems undiminished. Hardly surprising, of course, because the proposal to license 16 other casinos remains, eight of which will be ‘large' and all of which will be able to operate as entertainment rather than purely gaming venues.

For Mark Ross, Genting Stanley's director of operations of the UK's east region, the appeal of Britain for the company "is that we have a long-standing gambling environment and the possibility now of more small and large casinos as a result of deregulation has made it very attractive as a long-term proposition."

Founded in 1965, Genting is a $24.8 billion conglomerate with interests in oil and gas, power generation, real estate, plantations and e-commerce - so how important are casinos to its leisure and hospitality division?

"Hugely, Genting Highlands, the company's flagship resort at home in Malaysia, is an all-round leisure and entertainment complex with a substantial casino element to it. Gaming and entertainment are a core activity in Genting's two cruise companies, NCL and Star Cruises, and of course there's Stanley Leisure," Ross says.

Central to the Genting philosophy, explains Ross, is that a casino should be seen as "a leisure-driven environment with restaurants, bars and live entertainment." The challenge facing Genting is a simple one. "People want more for their money. They want entertaining. The casino market is no longer just about gaming, it has to be an all-round leisure proposition and one available to a much wider audience." It's no longer a male-dominated market - "We even run poker competitions now just for ladies" - or reserved or the rich, Ross explains. "Currently the average evening spend in a Genting casino is £28 per head, all in. It's a good, inexpensive evening."

Although it may be the Las Vegas-style glamour that draws customers into Genting's 46 casinos, its show-business sparkle that increasingly gives them a sense of having received value for money. The entertainment element focuses on the lighter side of the spectrum and with around 500 performances each year. That's a substantial volume of work on offer. An annual budget of £250,000 guarantees regular dates for vocalists, tribute bands and occasional speciality acts.

The Stage 28.02.08