Local Philippines casino operator, Travellers International Hotel Group Incorporated, has reportedly announced that it will be re-opening the shuttered second floor of its Resorts World Manila property from next month in order to offer some 75,347 sq ft of additional gaming space.

Two-year closure:

According to a Friday report, the Manila-headquartered firm revealed that the space was closed a little over two years ago in the wake of a shooting and arson attack that left some 36 people dead. The operator later decided to relocate the damaged floor’s gaming tables and slots into an adjacent shopping mall before subsequently premiering a new 129,166 sq ft bespoke casino area.

Proliferating portfolio:

Travellers International Hotel Group Incorporated detailed that the re-opened second floor is to feature around 100 gaming tables alongside some 600 slots in order to take the Manila property’s total casino complement up to 2,300 slots and over 365 gaming tables. It purportedly also explained that Resorts World Manila had recorded average daily footfall last year of about 28,500 but that the new area will help it to increase this number to as high as 50,000 by the end of 2020.

Revenue revival:

A joint venture of Alliance Global Group Incorporated and Genting Hong Kong Limited, Travellers International stated that it expects the coming second-floor casino to moreover assist it in chalking up a double-digit boost in gross gaming revenues. The figure for the most recent quarter purportedly hit $132.66 million, which represented a rise of some 53.8% year-on-year, while its overall three-month earnings swelled by 55% to hit just over $163.42 million.

Kingson Sian, President and Chief Executive Officer for Manila-listed Travellers International, told BusinessWorld Online that the re-opened area is to ‘be an entire new floor of gaming space’ that will aid his firm’s efforts at ‘attracting not only locals but also foreign players.’

Sian stated…

“We can develop new junket relationships because we can provide new space. We’re coming from a low base and we’re coming up with new spaces so we’re expanding the gaming revenue. The plan is to sustain it. We’re working hard to complete the new facilities.”

Hotel hotspot:

As if this wasn’t enough, Travellers furthermore declared that Resorts World Manila is set to end the year offering some 3,555 hotel rooms courtesy of the opening of the attached Hotel Okura Manila. The giant Philippines complex is already purportedly home to the Maxims Hotel, Holiday Inn Express Manila Newport City and Marriott Hotel Manila and recently added some 940 additional rooms following the debut of the adjacent Hilton Manila and Sheraton Manila Hotel.