Cat and mouse game:
PETALING JAYA: This isn’t the first time that Mickey Mouse got the better of Genting Malaysia Bhd.
In 2011, Genting Malaysia and the powerful Walt Disney Co were at opposing ends, with the former wanting to create the largest casino in the country while the latter was adamant on advancing its family-friendly vacation theme parks.
With Disney being one of the most important taxpayers in the sunshine state of Florida, it is not surprising that some seven years have passed and Genting is still without its casino.
However, back then, Genting paid US$236mil in cash for The Miami Herald headquarters land in 2011 and US$185mil for the adjoining Omni retail and hotel complex. Genting announced plans to bring a 5,000-room casino resort to the area. It also assembled an influential team of lobbyists, lawyers and consultants.
Attempts to get a casino approved in Tallahassee have been dashed repeatedly, and the land has remained barren.
It also hopes to bring gambling to the Omni complex under existing casino laws but that effort has also fizzled.
On the other end, Disney has paid US$20mil for an initiative to ensure Florida is not the next Vegas.
A Florida ballot initiative this month gives voters the power to block any expansion of casino gambling, with some saying that this could effectively crush gaming companies’ long and costly efforts to expand into Florida.
Bloomberg reported that if approved, amendment three of the Florida Constitution would require 60% state-wide support for any new casinos. That threshold would protect the local hegemony of the Seminole Tribe of Florida, which operates gambling establishments under federal law allowing Native Americans to do so, and entertainment giant Walt Disney Co.
Together, Disney and the Seminoles have given about US$36mil to bolster this measure.
Back home, Genting Malaysia embarked on a 10-year masterplan back in 2013 to reinvigorate and transform Resorts World Genting under the Genting Integrated Tourism Plan (GITP).
It had introduced various new facilities and attractions which include the First World Hotel Tower 3, the new Awana SkyWay cable car system, the newly refurbished Theme Park Hotel, the new Crockfords Hotel as well as new attractions in the SkyAvenue entertainment complex. In 2017, it opened the Genting Highlands Premium Outlet.
The Fox theme park is part of the GITP and was supposed to be one of its main highlights.
The Fox World Theme Park and the Skytropolis Indoor Theme part were supposed to create 7,000 jobs at the resort, as well as require new power sub-stations and water treatment plants to cater for future growth.
Phase two would see the construction of more luxury hotels as well as a show arena with a seating capacity of up to 10,000.
Genting Malaysia owns and operates major properties including Resorts World Genting in Malaysia, Resorts World Casino New York City in the United States, Resorts World Bimini in the Bahamas, Crockfords Cairo in Egypt and over 40 casinos, including Resorts World Birmingham, in Britain.
In Britain, Genting Malaysia is one of the largest casino operators with 42 operating casinos. It operates six casinos in London and 36 casinos outside of London.