Hong Kong Businessman Awarded US $43.8 Million

Resort king Sheldon Adelson’s US-based casino resort group Las Vegas Sands Corporation, the owners of the stunning Venetian venues in Las Vegas and Macau,  suffered a legal defeat this week when a Hong Kong businessman won a $43.8 million claim for services rendered in helping to facilitate the Sand's move into Macau. Las Vegas Sands has opened two resorts on the island, the Sands Macao and the Venetian Macao on the Cotai Strip.

Richard Suen (55) a former secretary of Sheldon Adelson, originally claimed he was owed up to US$100 million for using his father's Chinese government contacts to help the Las Vegas-based Sands Corporation secure the lucrative gambling license in Macau. Suen and his Round Square Company, was hired by Las Vegas Sands to help the American giant break into the Macau gambling and resort market, and Suen claimed he was successful in making this possible.

He filed the civil claim in 2004, itemizing a $5 million upfront fee and 2 percent of net casino profits if he was successful in enabling Sands to acquire the license. Suen testified that meetings he arranged in Beijing in July 2001 between Chinese government officials and Las Vegas Sands executives were responsible for the casino operator winning its licensing bid.

Adelson apparently offered conflicting testimony during the court hearing, first telling jurors that William Weidner, president and chief operating officer, provided a letter to Suen seeking his assistance in doing business in Macau. He later denied that Suen was hired by the company.

Lawyers for the Las Vegas Sands fought the case, alleging that Suen's efforts in 2000 and 2001 were not successful, after which the Galaxy Entertainment group was hired in 2002 for the same purpose. Subsequently the companies, which by then had acquired a license, could not agree on the contractual arrangements and the partnership was dissolved.

Macau then awarded Las Vegas Sands a sub-concession - a decision that Suen's lawyers said was the result of their client's earlier lobbying. Rusty Hardin, the Las Vegas Sands lawyer, confirmed that the Las Vegas Company is planning to appeal against the court decision.

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