The Chinese government had no part in the awarding of gaming licences in Macau for Las Vegas Sands Corp more than 10 years ago, an operator’s lawyer told a Las Vegas jury on Thursday U.S. time. Richard Sauber said that it was “inconceivable” that Chinese leaders had violated Macau’s Basic Law and “reached down” to make sure Las Vegas Sands got a gaming licence, Bloomberg reported. Mr Sauber was making closing arguments in the trial of a suit in which Richard Suen, a Hong Kong businessman, is seeking US$328 million (MOP2.62 billion) in damages over claims that the company did not honour a promise to pay him for his help with gaining a Macau gaming licence. Mr Suen claims he arranged meetings with then Chinese Vice Premier Qian Qichen and Beijing Mayor Liu Qi, who created the goodwill that led Edmund Ho Hau Wah, Macau’s first post handover chief executive, to make his decision. Las Vegas Sands’ lawyers say Mr Qian – one of the authors of the Basic Law, wouldn’t have violated it and undermined China’s ‘One Country Two Systems’ policy for its returned territories, based merely on a 40-minute meeting with Mr Adelson. They claim the company won the licence through a competitive process. Clark County District Judge Rob Bare turned the case over to the jury for deliberation. This is the second time Mr Suen’s claims have gone to trial. The Nevada Supreme Court in 2010 reversed a US$43.8 million jury award in favour of Mr Suen and sent the case back for a new trial. Las Vegas Sands is the parent company of Macau-based gaming operator Sands China Ltd.
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