Macau’s 26th casino, built and operated by the Melco-PBL joint venture, with capital from Macau and Australia, will open this week. The hotel-casino will be located at the Crown Hotel on Taipa Island, the first six-star hotel in the Chinese special administrative region.

The complex cost approximately US$500 million and has 216 rooms, 220 gaming tables and more than 500 slot machines. The opening ceremony will include a gala party for 1,700 guests featuring a live show produced by the famous Dragone Group, fireworks and prizes.

“We are very excited about the opening of Crown Macau,” Lawrence Ho, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Chairman of the company, said. “This is a major milestone for our company and is the culmination of over three years’ concerted effort and planning. I would like to extend a particular note of thanks for the hard work and dedication of the 4,000 Crown Macau employees.”

Melco-PBL is also working on the City of Dreams casino resort and entertainment complex, which is expected to open by 2008.