MACAU, China – Baha Mar executives have said time and time again that when it comes to creating a luxury resort, the company will only go after the best in the industry, which is why Baha Mar’s leaders are in Macau, China this week attending the G2E Asia conference.

The conference is one of the largest in the world where leaders of the biggest and most profitable casinos gather to discuss the industry and identify new trends.

Baha Mar Vice President of External Affairs Robert “Sandy” Sands told reporters who are accompanying him on the trip that Macau is everything Baha Mar wants to mimic. He noted that Macau, which is the gaming capital of the world, is poised to rake in over $40 billion this year alone.

“We felt it was important to bring the press to see who we are competing against,” he said. “We aren’t competing against Atlantis; we’re not competing with casinos in Florida . . . we’re competing with gaming in the world.”

“Macau is the centre and competitively we want to be on that scale.”

On Monday, Mr. Sands toured the City of Dreams (Macau) Casino where hundreds of visitors were at their favourite tables or spinning away at slot machines.

The non-stop sounds of cash registers, coins being deposited and dice rolling on tables went on for hours.

The casino’s patrons filled the 420,000 square feet entertainment lounge.

Mr. Sands said this is the scene Baha Mar aspires to duplicate, adding that its competition does not simply lie over the Paradise island Bridge, but is also in Asia.

But he said even for Asia, a giant in the gambling game, The Bahamas still poses a threat.

“No gaming destination will offer what we can in terms of these islands and giving visitors a real island gaming experience,” he said.

The Baha Mar executive also said not only does Macau offer much to emulate in terms of numbers, but also its style.

“They have all the innovations that we are applying for in modernisation, such as private salons, VIP gaming rooms interactive gaming, more technical machines, in-house bettings and others.”

The City of Dreams Casino is just one of more than 30 casinos in Macau which has a huge Asian fan base for gambling and gaming.

Mr. Sands said if Baha Mar can pull in 25,000 Asian gamers in one year, then that would be considered a “home run.”

“In 2006, gaming revenue was $6 billion in Macau,” he said. “In 2006, Las Vegas was $6 billion and in 2007 it only got to $7 billion.”

“The real growth is in this part of the world (Asia).”

Baha Mar Chairman and CEO Sarkis Izmirlian as well as Baha Mar president Tom Dunlap are expected to join the group.