亚洲繁盛的博彩业

　　新加坡滨海湾金沙赌场拥有一个令人不可思议的浮动的花园，可以从约200米高的空中俯瞰新加坡五光十色的海滨，在这点上，滨海湾金沙赌场绝对是一个受人赞誉的建筑。该赌场总共投资了5.7亿美元，将对未来亚洲赌博行业产生巨大的震荡。

　　新加波滨海湾金沙赌场的开发者是美国拉斯维加斯金沙集团股份有限公司，其董事长谢尔登。埃德森，在过去多年里一直雄心勃勃地在世界各地建设赌场度假村。谢尔登。埃德森本人很喜欢滨海湾，他本人和不少行业观察家都认为，新加坡滨海湾金沙赌场度假村将成为新加坡一个标志性的区域建筑，好比悉尼歌剧院和吉隆坡的双子塔。分析家说，新加波滨海湾金沙赌场有可能成为世界上最赚钱的赌场。

　　分析家的这一乐观分析，正面反映了亚洲日益兴旺的赌博行业，同时也从侧面衬托了拉斯维加斯和亚特兰大城市赌博行业的黯淡前景。在新加坡滨海湾金沙赌场度假村开张之际，金沙集团董事长谢尔登。埃德森的对手史蒂夫永利旗下的澳门永利赌场度假村也相继开幕。他们是世界赌博业两个最大的竞争对手，但现在他们的收入大部分依靠亚洲。世界第三大博彩巨头米高梅公司在上个月决定出售其在新泽西州大西洋赌城物业的部分股份，以稳定其在澳门赌博行业的地位。虽然米高梅博彩集团在澳门拥有最小的市场份额，但目前正在积极扩张中。

　　虽然拉斯维加斯的赌博行业呈现疲软状态，但中国澳门赌博行业前景一片光明，其博彩收入量占世界首位。在2009年，澳门的赌博收入约为14.9亿美元，而2008年收入约为13.6亿美元，同比增长了9.6％。而拉斯维加斯在2009年的博彩收入仅为5.6亿美元，与2008年的6.1亿美元同期下降9.4％。

　　澳门博彩收入最大的两个月份分别为一月和三月。不少业内人士纷纷对这个亚洲市场的黄金时期虎视眈眈。

　　“亚洲市场将是未来世界上最大的博彩市场，我们刚刚开始关注那里。”联盟博彩集团顾问勒纳如此表示。

　　译文

　　With a floating garden that overlooks Singapore's glitzy waterfront from about 200 meters in the air, the Marina Bay Sands is an architectural showstopper. It is also a massive US$5.7 billion bet on the future of Asian gambling.

　　Developer Las Vegas Sands Corp. and its chairman, Sheldon Adelson, have created ambitious casino-resorts in the past, but none quite like Marina Bay, which industry observers-and Mr. Adelson himself-are comparing with iconic regional landmarks such as the Sydney Opera House and Kuala Lumpur's Petronas Towers. Analysts say Marina Bay, which opens Tuesday, could become the world's most lucrative casino.

　　That optimism underscores the growing prominence of Asia for a casino industry with limited prospects in Las Vegas, Atlantic City and other U.S. markets. With Marina Bay set to open Tuesday and rival Steve Wynn's Encore at Wynn Macau opening last week, two of the gambling industry's biggest competitors now rely on Asia for the majority of their revenues. A third, MGM Mirage, decided last month to sell its stake in an Atlantic City, N.J., property in order to maintain a foothold in Macau, where it has the smallest market share but is keen to expand.

　　After a series of delays, Sands will only open some parts of Marina Bay on Tuesday, with a bigger official opening in June.

　　Still, Tuesday's opening marks a return of optimism for the battered global gambling industry after two years of pain. A celebration in December of MGM Mirage's new $8.5 billion CityCenter project in Las Vegas was tempered with concern it would take business from other casinos. After Sands narrowly avoided filing for bankruptcy-court protection in 2008 and 2009, financing troubles forced the company to halt progress on many of its other projects to focus on Singapore.

　　While Las Vegas remains weak, prospects are now bright in Macau-the world's largest casino market by revenue. In 2009, gambling revenue in Macau was about $14.9 billion, up 9.6% from $13.6 billion in 2008. Las Vegas Strip gambling revenue in 2009 was $5.6 billion, off 9.4% from $6.1 billion in 2008.

　　Macau recorded its two biggest months to date in terms of gambling revenue in January and March, and industry watchers and insiders are salivating at the prospect of a new golden age of gambling in Asian markets.

　　"The Asian market is going to be overpowering and we're just getting started," said Bill Lerner, a casino consultant for Union Gaming Group, which is based in Las Vegas.