Studio City (Macau)

Studio City is a hotel casino resort on the Cotai Strip in Cotai, Macau. The Hollywood studio-themed leisure resort is the first in Asia to integrate television and film production facilities, retail, gaming and hotels. It is majority-owned by Melco Resorts & Entertainment and its subsidiary Studio City International Holdings Limited (SCIHL),[1][2] Its two towers are connected by the world’s first and highest figure-8 ferris wheel.

For other uses, see Studio City (disambiguation).
Studio City
新濠影滙
Cidade do Estúdio
Location Cotai, Macau, China
Address Estr. Flor de Lotus
Opening date27 October 2015 (27 October 2015)
ThemeHollywood
No. of rooms1,600
Total gaming space106,000 sq ft (9,800 m2)
Signature attractionsGolden Reel
Batman Dark Flight
Zensa Spa
Studio City Water Park
Notable restaurantsCosmos Food Station
Pearl Dragon
Bi Ying
Hidemasa by Hide Yamamoto
Macau Gourmet Walk
Casino typeLand-based
OwnerMelco Resorts & Entertainment (60%)
ArchitectGoddard Group
Websitestudiocity-macau.com
Studio City
Traditional Chinese新濠影滙
Simplified Chinese新濠影汇
Portuguese name
PortugueseCidade do Estúdio
Times Square Macau
South Shops
Level 3 Garden
Hotel Main Lobby

History

The project was initially developed without a casino[3] by U.S. investment firms Silver Point Capital LP and Oaktree Capital Management LLC, with a 40 per cent interest through a joint subsidiary, New Cotai Holdings, and Hong Kong entertainment company eSun Holdings Ltd. In June 2011, Melco Crown Entertainment acquired eSun’s 60 per cent controlling interest.[4] Taubman Centers had also been an early investor, originally acquiring a 25 percent interest in The Mall at Studio City, the retail component of Macau Studio City, then exercised its option, withdrawing US$65 million when its 18-month condition contingent on other financing period expired, on 11 August 2009.[5]

The $3.2 billion[6] Studio City officially opened 27 October 2015 on Macau's Cotai Strip, adjacent to the Cotai Lotus Checkpoint Station and directly connected to the Taipa line of Macau Light Rapid Transit.[7]

Melco Crown Entertainment commissioned a $70 million film for the grand opening of Studio City resort. Produced by Brett Ratner, Martin Scorsese directed Robert De Niro and Leonardo DiCaprio in the 15-minute film, The Audition, portraying fictionalized versions of themselves.[8]

In December 2020, Star Tower at Studio City and Altira Macau, along with other Melco Resorts properties, were named among the first hotels in the world to receive Sharecare Health Security certification by Forbes Travel Guide.[9]

The House of Magic
Batman: Dark Flight attraction entrance.
Studio City Macao under construction in January 2015.

Design and Attractions

Inspired by the Golden Age of Hollywood,[7] the cinematic-themed resort comprises a 30,000-square-foot Family Entertainment Center in collaboration with Time Warner Inc. subsidiaries Warner Bros and DC Comics. The entertainment center features DC Comics characters, such as Superman, Wonder Woman and The Flash.[10]

Studio City features an Art Deco design inspired by two asteroids shooting through a Gotham City building.[11] The resort was designed by Goddard Group, a Los Angeles-based entertainment design firm that also designed Galaxy Macau.[12][13][14]

The resort's two hotel towers – Star Tower and Celebrity Tower – are connected by the Golden Reel, the world's first and highest figure-8 ferris wheel.[15] Boarding at the hotel's 23rd floor, the wheel features 17 steampunk-themed cabins holding up to 10 passengers each, also designed by the Goddard Group, with hardware manufactured by Liechtenstein's Intamin Amusement Rides.[6][16] Batman Dark Flight is a 4D flight simulation theatre attraction,[14][17] along with a 40,000 square foot children's playground, the Warner Brothers Fun Zone.[18]

Facilities include Legend Heroes Park, an immersive tech-based entertainment park (TBE),[19] a 5,000-seat live performance arena,[20] an indoor/outdoor water park, opened in May 2021,[21] indoor and outdoor swimming pools, a fitness centre and meeting rooms. Star Tower is rated 5-star by Forbes Travel Guide and houses several award-winning restaurants, the Zensa Spa and Pacha Macau nightclub,[15] as well as 1,233 gaming machines and about 250 gaming tables.[22] Studio City Event Center hosts concerts and sporting events.[15]

Guests may also view space through giant portal windows at the Cosmos Food Station food court.[23] Restaurants at Studio City include Michelin-starred Pearl Dragon, Bi Ying, Rossi Trattoria and Hide Yamamoto.[24]

Expansion

Currently under construction, Phase 2 of Studio City's expansion will see the addition of two hotel towers housing approximately 900 rooms, additional gaming areas, a cineplex, an indoor/outdoor water park touted as one of the world's largest, and facilities for meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE).[25]

Near the Taipa Grande Natural Park nature reserve, the two hotel towers are designed to be distanced from each other, creating adequate space for bird migration.[26] On 5 May 2021, it was announced that the Macau government had extended the development period under its land concession contract with Studio City to 27 December 2022.[27]

Announced on 28 December 2021, W Macau – Studio City is scheduled to open in December 2022 as part of Phase 2 with 557 guestrooms, including 127 suites.[28]

See also

References
  1. Chiu, Joanne (14 August 2017). "Melco International Plans Spin-Off, Separate Listing of Studio City International Holdings in U.S." Fox Business. Retrieved 30 July 2022.
  2. "Melco Resorts Says Odds Long Studio City Phase 2 Completed by 2022". 10 July 2020.
  3. "No Casino in Studio City: Lau". Macau Daily Times. 7 July 2011. Archived from the original on 9 July 2011. Retrieved 7 July 2011.
  4. O'Keeffe, Kate (16 June 2011). "Melco Crown Gains Control of Macau Project". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 30 July 2022.
  5. "Taubman Pulls out of Macau Studio City". Macau Daily Times. 26 August 2009. Archived from the original on 5 October 2009. Retrieved 23 August 2010.
  6. Green, Dennis (21 July 2015). "The World's First Figure-8 Ferris Wheel Is Being Built Inside This $3.2 Billion Macau Casino". Business Insider. Retrieved 8 September 2015.
  7. Haridasani, Alisha (6 November 2015). "World's First Figure-8 Ferris Wheel Opens in Macau". CNN. Retrieved 30 July 2022.
  8. Miller, Julie (27 October 2015). "Why Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro, and Martin Scorsese Convened in a Macau Casino". Vanity Fair. Retrieved 30 July 2022.
  9. "Sharecare". Forbes Travel Guide.
  10. Yang, Brook (13 January 2015). "Studio City Melco Teams up with Time Warner to Open Family Entertainment Center". Macau Daily Times.
  11. Vincent, James (14 January 2015). "China's Building a Gotham-Inspired Super Casino that Bets Big on Batman". The Verge. Retrieved 8 September 2015.
  12. "Goddard Group Designs Studio City in Macau". Hotel Design. 3 February 2015. Archived from the original on 22 September 2015. Retrieved 8 September 2015.
  13. Alton, Elizabeth (17 February 2015). "The Goddard Group: Leading the Way In China's Entertainment Boom". Entertainment Designer. Archived from the original on 7 January 2018. Retrieved 8 September 2015.
  14. Young, Josh (14 January 2015). "Studio City Announced For Macau Featuring Batman, Magicians, Celebrities and More!". Theme Park University. Retrieved 8 September 2015.
  15. "Star Tower at Studio City Macau". Forbes Travel Guide. Retrieved 30 July 2022.
  16. "World's First Figure Eight Ferris Wheel to Open in Macau". Contemporist. 18 July 2015. Retrieved 8 September 2015.
  17. Schneider, Steven (14 January 2015). "Batman-Inspired Casino Set For Construction...In China". Tech Times. Retrieved 8 September 2015.
  18. "Warner Bros. Fun Zone". Studio City Macau. Retrieved 8 September 2015.
  19. "Legend Heroes Park". Macau Lifestyle. Retrieved 30 July 2022.
  20. "Studio City Event Center". Macau Lifestyle. Retrieved 30 July 2022.
  21. "Studio City Water Park Attracts Nearly 1,000 Guests on First Day". Macau Daily Times. 24 May 2021. Retrieved 30 July 2022.
  22. "Macau Studio City". casinocity.com. Retrieved 30 July 2022.
  23. "Cosmos Food Station". Studio City Macau. Retrieved 8 September 2015.
  24. "Factsheets > Dining". studiocitymacaumedia.com. Retrieved 30 July 2022.
  25. "Melco Starts Studio City Phase 2, Eyes Mid-2022 Completion". GGRAsia. 28 April 2020. Retrieved 23 February 2021.
  26. Moura, Nelson (28 January 2021). "Studio City Phase 2 Hotel Tower Blocks Designed to Facilitate Local Wetland Bird Migrations". Macau Business. Retrieved 23 February 2021.
  27. Tsang, Honey (7 May 2021). "Studio City Granted Extended Construction Deadline Beyond Gaming Licenses". Macau Daily Times. Retrieved 19 August 2021.
  28. "Marriott International Signs Agreement with Melco Resorts & Entertainment to Bring Macau's First W Hotel". Marriott International News Center. 28 December 2021. Retrieved 6 April 2022.

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