Archive for July, 2008

31
Jul

The Ayrshire a new links golf resort for Irvine Bay, Scotland

By jamescarstairs 0 Comments
Categories: Announcements and Golf Resort

A new £60m ‘pay and play’, 18-hole links golf course and an adjacent 220,000 sq ft hotel is planned for North Ayrshire, near Glasgow, as part of plans to revitalise Irvine Bay.

Called The Ayrshire, the resort was put out to tender by the Irvine Bay Urban Regeneration Company (IBURC) and has now secured a joint venture between development firm Credential Holdings and Kintyre Property Trust (KPT) to run and fund the project. 

The course is being designed by golf architect David McLay Kidd, whose previous creations include The Castle course in St Andrews and the Machrihanish Dunes at Kintyre. The adjacent hotel will also include a clubhouse, golf shop, spa, restaurant and conference facilities.  

The developers estimate that 25,000 rounds of golf a year will be played at The Ayrshire, and if each golfer spent £200 locally then the annual benefit to the economy will be around £5m.

30
Jul

Crown Casino Macau decline in gambling turnover

By jamescarstairs 0 Comments
Categories: Announcements and Casinos

JAMES Packer’s Crown Ltd  www.crown-macau.com has been hit by a fall in the amount of cash gambled at its flagship Macau casino in the past two months, according to the company that provides its VIP gamblers.

A-Max Holdings, a Hong Kong-based “junket consolidator” responsible for introducing to Crown Macau more than three-quarters of its gambling turnover, told investors that the value of gambling-chip turnover was down an average of 10%.

At its results briefing A-Max chief executive Ted Chan said the key measure of casino profitability, referred to in the industry as rolling chip turnover, was down to $HK36 billion ($A4.8 billion) a month from an average of $HK40 billion. The turnover figure was 27% below analysts’ expectations of up to $HK49 billion a month.

A-Max is a key partner of Crown’s joint venture in Macau called Melco Crown Entertainment because it brings together several agents who entice big-spending, mostly Chinese VIP customers to Crown Macau and finances their gambling.

29
Jul

The Westin Sports Club and Spa

By jamescarstairs 1 Comment
Categories: Announcements and Spa


THE WESTIN PHILIPPINE PLAZA

The Westin www.westin.com/manila has an enviable location on Manila Bay, providing guests with prime time seats (or treadmills) for the evenings’ burnished sunsets. Inside, the Westin Sports Club and Spa offers Manila’s fiteratti the first 24 hour medi-spa in the city.

The fitness centre includes cardio machines, a gym and workout studio, or for a less strenuous, more pampering visit, the spa offers a generous 11 massage, facial and body treatment rooms with massages for jet lag and golfers, whitening and oxygenating facials, and body gommage treatments. Foot treatments take place in the Sole Sanctuary and a pure breath of fresh air can be had while sitting in a massage chair at their oxygen bar.

Packages for the Suite Romance private room for two include treatments as well as a four course dinner and a candlelit whirlpool. Downstairs the wet area boasts sauna and dry steam rooms and hot and cold plunge Jacuzzis. Special to the Westin is the medical facility with doctor supervised treatments including rhinoplasty, liposuction and Botox. And being open 24/7 guests can call for a midnight massage or session of Botox and wake up the next morning feeling refreshed and/or smoothed out.

They’ve thought of everything!

28
Jul

How to become a member of Augusta National - “Strictly by Invitation”

By jamescarstairs 0 Comments
Categories: Announcements and golf membership

Augusta National Golf Club has about 300 members at any given time. Initiation fees are reported to range between $25,000 and $50,000. Membership is strictly by invitation; there is no application process. It is expected that annual dues are low (less than $10,000 per year) given the Masters Broadcast on CBS earns the Club millions per year.

Amid much criticism of exclusive and discriminatory admissions, Augusta accepted a black member in 1990. There are also no currently female members of Augusta, although women are able to play the course as guests of a member. The club’s lack of female membership received national attention in 2002 when Martha Burk, chairperson of the National Council of Women’s Organizations, publicly challenged the club’s stance. Pressure placed upon corporate sponsors of The Masters over the 2002 controversy led the Club to voluntarily broadcast the 2003 and 2004 tournaments without commercials.

Notable current members include:

  • Bill Gates, co-founder and chairman of Microsoft
  • Warren Buffett, American businessman and one of the world’s wealthiest individuals
  • Jack Welch, former CEO of General Electric
  • Harold “Red” Poling, former CEO of the Ford Motor Company
  • John T “Jack” Lupton, former Coca Cola bottling magnate and member of Forbes 400 List
  • Carl Sanders, former Governor of Georgia
  • Sam Nunn, former United States Senator
  • T. Boone Pickens, Jr., well known oil tycoon and member of Forbes 400 List
  • Steve Spurrier, Heisman Trophy winner, Head Football Coach of the University of South Carolina Gamecocks
  • Mark C. McKinley, Member of the McHedley Society and a well known oil tycoon like Boon
  • Hugh L. McColl Jr., Former CEO of Bank of America

27
Jul

Nelson & Haworth Golf Design firm in Asia/Pacific

By jamescarstairs 1 Comment
Categories: Announcements and Golf Resort
Founded in 1987 by senior partner Robin Nelson, the design firm of Nelson & Haworth originally formed part of the respected and diversified Belt Collins group of companies based in Hawaii. In early 2000, current partners Robin Nelson, Neil Haworth and Brett Mogg purchased Belt Collins interest in the company and now operate it independently via offices in Singapore, Hong Kong, Montreal and San Francisco USA.
Singapore is the head office of the company and the base for operations throughout Asia Pacific, Europe and Africa. Neil Haworth and Brett Mogg are based in Shanghai and Singapore respectively to provide quick, timely and economical design services to clients in the region.
Nelson & Haworth work in many countries around the world, often in difficult working and climatic conditions to produce courses that are unique, beautiful and enduringly playable.  

26
Jul

Macau gaming revenues total 59 billion patacas in 1Q

By jamescarstairs 0 Comments
Categories: Announcements and Casinos

Gaming and gambling activities in Macau posted gross revenues of 59.264 billion patacas in the first half of the year, or 70.6 percent of the total revenues posted last year, the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau (GICB) announced yesterday.
Last year total revenues for the gaming and gambling sector were 83.847 billion patacas.
Also according to the (GICB), the second quarter, with revenues of 29.179 billion patacas, saw a fall of one billion patacas against the first quarter, when revenues totalled 30.085 billion patacas.
Gambling revenues, which account for 99 percent of the entire gaming sector, in the first half totalled 58.708 billion patacas.
VIP baccarat provided revenues of 40.9 billion patacas or almost 70 percent of all gambling revenues.
At the end of last month, there were 30 casinos in Macau, 19 of which were owned by Sociedade de Jogos de Macau, five by Galaxy Casino, two by Venetian Macau, two by Melco/PBL Jogos (Macau) and one each by Wynn Resorts and MGM Grande Paradise, which had 4,311 gaming tables and 12,956 gaming machines.

25
Jul

Government prepares for Tote sale in late 2008

By jamescarstairs 2 Comments
Categories: Announcements and Horse Racing Clubs

The government has begun to prepare for a possible sale of state-owned bookmaker, the Tote, in the autumn.

But Sports Minister Gerry Sutcliffe said that the final decision to launch the sale had not yet been taken.

Attempts to sell the business to the racing industry and a consortium backed by private equity have both fallen through in the past few years.

The Tote was established in 1928. It now employs 4,000 people and is the fourth-largest bookmaker in the UK.

Falling value?

The government made a commitment to sell the Tote in its 2001 election manifesto.

It appointed the investment bank Goldman Sachs to examine options for the business in April.

However, in a written statement to parliament Mr Sutcliffe said that the market conditions would have to be right for a sale.

Previous bids for the Tote have valued the business at about £400m, but recent reports have said the downturn in the economic climate means it may now fetch less than £300m.

The Tote, or Horserace Totalisator Board, was founded by Winston Churchill in 1928.

When it started its purpose was to offer on-course pool betting on horseracing instead of starting price betting with bookmakers.

24
Jul

Plans revealed for spa at The Cube in Sports City, Dubai

By admin 0 Comments
Categories: Announcements and Spa

German development company BMG Group has partnered with Schletterer Wellness & Spa Design to create a new spa within a landmark tower called The Cube at the Sports City project in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

 

The Cube will provide condo residences as well as a hotel offering. The US$12.2.m (7.8m euro, £6.2m) spa will have a sport and medical focus.

Covering 32,291sq ft (3,000sq m), the medi-spa will be completed by 2010 and will combine sports therapy with beauty and spa facilities, including an infinity-edge swimming pool.

There will also be a a low-oxygen zone to aid athletes’ rehabilitation, using technology to increase red blood cells by reducing oxygen in the air. Details: www.schletterer.com

23
Jul

A new Social Networking Spa community

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Categories: Announcements and Spa

Spa junkies, you can now virtually unite thanks to www.TheSpaProject.com. The social networking tool for spa-goers lets members search for spas, rate spas, plan weekend getaways with friends, share photos and discuss spa-related topics in “spa cafes.”

You need an e-mail account to sign up, but it’s free and doesn’t ask for any personal information.

There’s a handy feature that allows a search for spas by ZIP code or by country. You can also search by treatments and programs available using the advanced search.

The site lets users earn points toward luxury gifts, like skincare products by Om Aroma & Co., and discounts at participating spas by writing reviews and by referring friends to the Spa Project.

22
Jul

Hard Rock International to Expand in Europe

By admin 0 Comments
Categories: Announcements

Club, hotel and restaurant operator Hard Rock International is looking to open a significant number of new European outlets by 2011.

Property consultants Cushman & Wakefield have been appointed to oversee the plans which will add to the global chain’s current portfolio of 127 Hard Rock Cafes in 48 countries worldwide.

 

The company, which was acquired by the Seminole Tribe from Rank Group in December 2006, has already identified priority locations for the expansion plans in Hamburg, Germany, plus the Italian cities of Milan and Florence.

 

Cushman & Wakefield have also been asked to look into the relocation of the Hard Rock Cafes in Paris, Amsterdam and Berlin.

 

The plans involve the identification of units in high-profile locations of between 500-2,000 sq m in size, although the property consultant says it will consider smaller options depending on location and opportunity.

 

Leading the Hard Rock account for Cushman & Wakefield is partner Mark Burlton. He said: “We are looking to satisfy Hard Rock’s requirements in the best locations in its target cities.

 

Hard Rock already have plans to open new cafes in Europe by the end of the year, with outlets in Mallorca and Prague, while projects in Krakow, Poland, and Budapest, Hungary are due for completion in 2009 and 2010 respectively.

 

Last month, the company opened the world’s first rock ‘n’ roll-themed theme park in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

 

The 140-acre Hard Rock Park boasts more than 50 rides and attractions – all themed after famous rock musicians and groups – including roller coasters, thrill rides, live shows, children’s play areas, restaurants and retail stores.

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