2006年VOA标准英语-Las Vegas Casinos Look to Asia Investments

By Steve Mort
Las Vegas, Nevada
13 November 2006
 
watch Vegas Asian Casino

 
Casino, money and tokens
Major U.S. casino operators are turning to Asia in a bid to boost business. Interest in the region has increased after Singapore announced it will open two massive Las Vegas-style resorts -- one of which will be completed by 2009. It is the first time the conservative city-state has allowed gambling¹, and the American gambling industry believes it offers an important investment opportunity.

Las Vegas has traditionally been the gambling capital of the world, but these days the casino industry is changing.  Asian destinations like Macau and Singapore are taking a chance on the Vegas model of combining gambling and entertainment -- in hopes of attracting high-rollers looking to spend big.

 
David Schwartz
David Schwartz heads the Center for Gaming Research at the University of Nevada in Las Vegas. He says, "Slot machines are no longer a novelty, blackjack isn't a novelty anymore. People aren't going to fly 2,000 miles just to play nickel [five cent] slots. What they will do though is they will fly 2,000 miles to have this great experience."

In Las Vegas, gambling now accounts for as little as 30 percent of revenues at the major hotels, as people splash out on other forms of entertainment.

 
Gordon Absher
And Gordon Absher of MGM Mirage² -- a casino operator -- says countries like Singapore hope the trend helps them hit the jackpot. "Singaporeans really hit it on the head when they shunned³ the term casino or 'casino resort' and embraced the term 'integrated resort' because that's truly what we are. We're integrating what you would find in many different places in other cities into one destination resort here in Las Vegas".

 
Lee Kuan Yew⁴
Lee Kuan Yew, the man who founded modern Singapore, has been instrumental in bringing integrated resorts to his country.  Holding the title of ‘minister mentor’ in the prime minister's office, Lee has been touring Las Vegas to meet executives such as the Sands owner, Sheldon Adelson.  He has been surprised by the reception. "Every move like this is a bet on the future. We decided⁵ to make the bet. We didn't expect the operators to make such large bets on us."

But for Adelson and other Las Vegas tycoons⁶, Singapore is less of a bet than a cold, hard business decision.  The Sands plans to spend $3 billion building Singapore's first integrated resort, modeled after the Las Vegas Venetian.

Lee says Adelson and his team do not believe Singapore will draw away visitors from Las Vegas. "He expects an overwhelming majority to come from the region -- China, India and the rest of Asia. He believes there's a large, already existing, demand that will fill up his convention halls and the entertainment that he has on offer."

The Singapore government is to award a contract later this year to build a second resort. But hopeful Las Vegas operators have to give guarantees, including providing funds for social programs to help addicted⁷ gamblers, to get the contract.

Meanwhile, Vegas continues to put its chips on the table, pouring billions of dollars into Asia as U.S. casino owners eagerly anticipate more contracts from Singapore.

1 gambling   

n.赌博；投机

参考例句：

• They have won a lot of money through gambling.他们赌博赢了很多钱。
• The men have been gambling away all night.那些人赌了整整一夜。

2 mirage   

n.海市蜃楼，幻景

参考例句：

• Perhaps we are all just chasing a mirage.也许我们都只是在追逐一个幻想。
• Western liberalism was always a mirage.西方自由主义永远是一座海市蜃楼。

3 shunned   

v.避开，回避，避免( shun的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• She was shunned by her family when she remarried. 她再婚后家里人都躲着她。
• He was a shy man who shunned all publicity. 他是个怕羞的人，总是避开一切引人注目的活动。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 yew   

n.紫杉属树木

参考例句：

• The leaves of yew trees are poisonous to cattle.紫杉树叶会令牛中毒。
• All parts of the yew tree are poisonous,including the berries.紫杉的各个部分都有毒，包括浆果。

5 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

6 tycoons   

大君( tycoon的名词复数 )； 将军； 企业巨头； 大亨

参考例句：

• The great tycoons were fierce competitors, single-minded in their pursuit of financial success and power. 企业巨头都是激烈的竞争者，他们一心追求钱财和权势。
• Tycoons and their conglomerates are even raising money again on international markets. 企业大亨们以及他们的企业甚至正再次从国际市场上筹集资金。

7 addicted   

adj.沉溺于....的，对...上瘾的

参考例句：

• He was addicted to heroin at the age of 17.他17岁的时候对海洛因上了瘾。
• She's become addicted to love stories.她迷上了爱情小说。