Caesars Entertainment Corp – previously known as Harrah’s Entertainment – is trying hard to get a strong foothold in Macau. Finding it increasingly difficult to enter the casino market, the United States-based gaming company has decided to upgrade its golf course in Cotai. The refurbished clubhouse opened its doors last month and aims to offer tourists something new, the company says.
The 32,000 square feet clubhouse is for golfers and non-golfers alike, says general manager Li Wei. “It’s the perfect place for events and parties. It has a wedding chapel, not to mention kids’ programmes,” Ms Wei says. “It will be a tourist destination with an added value.”
Apart from a small café area, the clubhouse includes a golf lifestyle boutique and a spa. The venue’s fine-dining restaurant serves regional Chinese cuisine and Japanese specialities. One of the eatery’s highlights is its wine cellar, with about 300 vintages available.
“You have here the best view in Macau. So, after playing in the casino, you have a place to relax,” says Ms Wei. For special guests, VIP dining suites will be available that are suitable for karaoke and team building. The clubhouse can accommodate up to 250 people for private events.
Caesars Entertainment paid US$577.7 million (MOP4.6 billion) in September 2007 for the 70-hectare Macau Orient Golf Course and the rights to the land. The property occupies five percent of Macau’s entire area. The course was renamed Caesars Golf Macau in December 2008 to go with a US$26 million redevelopment of the property.

Missing the cut
According to several analysts, the acquisition was part of the company’s strategy for entering Macau’s casino market. But Caesars has been left dangling, caught by the freeze on gaming licences or sub-licences. The government’s recent announcement that it will strengthen its control over the gaming industry, advancing its orderly and planned development, have further reduced the odds of Caesars entering the market in the short term.
Outside the clubhouse, there is a semi-public 18-hole refurbished golf course, which has been shaped to emulate some of the most famous courses in the world. Caesars Golf Macau also has practice facilities, including a full-length driving range with 22 stations, customised with a target green and bunker.
The property also has the first Butch Harmon golf school in Asia, a collaborative effort with the famous trainer. “Macau has a major draw from hotels and casinos. It’s very interesting for us to be involved,” says Mr Harmon, who has trained notables such as Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson.

Caesars Golf Macau is one of seven golf courses in Caesars Entertainment’s global resort portfolio.