Macao Studio City, Casino resort in Cotai, China
Macao Studio City is a casino resort on the Cotai Strip with two hotel towers housing over 1,600 rooms. The property features extensive gaming areas alongside restaurants, shops, and entertainment venues.
The land was granted in 2001 for the East Asia Satellite TV City theme park, but legal disputes stalled the project. In 2011 Melco acquired the remaining shares for US$260 million and renamed it Studio City. The US$3.2 billion resort opened on 27 October 2015, and its second phase, including Epic Tower and W Macau, opened in 2023.
The design draws from Art Deco style and Hollywood's golden age, visible in decorative details throughout the public spaces. Visitors notice these film-inspired elements in the way rooms and common areas are decorated.
The resort is directly connected to the Lotus Checkpoint Station on the Taipa line of the Macau Light Rapid Transit. Free shuttle buses run to the Barrier Gate, Hengqin Port, Altira and City of Dreams; the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge service skips City of Dreams when The House of Dancing Water is not showing. Local buses stop at Estrada do Istmo/Studio City.
The Golden Reel, the world's first figure-8 Ferris wheel, was designed by the Goddard Group with hardware from Liechtenstein's Intamin Amusement Rides. Its 17 steampunk-themed cabins, each holding 10 passengers, board on the 23rd floor of the hotel and take about 18 minutes per ride.
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