Thurderbird expands casino operation in Poro Point

PORO POINT – Thunderbird Resorts Philippines, the local franchise of the international hospitality and casino operator, has expanded its casino here, as it hopes to get a huge chunk of the growing number of visiting Chinese players.

In a grand ceremony Saturday night, the Mediterraneaninspired Thunderbird Resorts opened its new and improved casino area, which brings to 28 the total gaming tables or a bigger area of 4,000 square meters from its former size of 1,500 sqm.

The casino also has a VIP area in the second floor for the VIP market and junket players. In an interview with The

STAR, Thunderbird Poro Point general manager Marvin Lanuza said the resort and casino hopes to bring in junket players from mainland China.

This, he said, would be easier on the back of plans to reopen the Poro Point San Fernando Airport at the Poro Point Freeport Zone in La Union.

Once opened, the new airport will serve international flights.

“We can bring in junket players straight all the way from China,” Lanuza said.

At present, Lanuza said the luxury resort has been attracting local tourists as well as Korean and Chinese players from nearby provinces.

But he is optimistic that the resort and casino would be attracting international players once the airport reopens, possibly this year.

The newly expanded casino took eight months to complete, but Lanuza said the expansion of the 67-hectare property is continuing.

The resort can accommodate up to 1,000 guests with the addition of 47 new villas, 29 Premiere Rooms and 25 Deluxe Rooms. Other new amenities include an 18 hole golf course, a spa, swimming pools and a wellness center.

The resort has been dubbed as the Santorini of Asia, with its Mediterranean- inspired architecture.

“With all these facilities, we really want our guests to have the best experience,” Lanuza said.

“Our goal is to be the number one resort and casino in the country,” he added.

Thunderbird Resorts Philippines is owned by a group of Filipino-Chinese businessmen including Robert Coyuito, Jr. owner of PGA Cars, the distributor of luxury car brands Audi, Porsche and Lamborghini in the country.

Outside the Philippines, Thunderbird has branches in Costa Rica, Nicaragua, India and Peru.