Studio City Netted Top Prizes with Cinematic Powers at Brand Film Festival and the MARKies Awards

MACAU, May 10, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Studio City, the thrilling new Hollywood-inspired, cinematically-themed entertainment and leisure destination, has attracted global attention from leisure seekers and received acclaimed international recognitions since its doors opened in October 2015, a mere half year of operation. At Brand Film Festival 2016, an event co-organized by the industry-renowned PRWeek US and Campaign US magazines, the Studio City-inspired short film “The Audition” netted multiple awards including “Branded Program”, “Most Creative”, “Viral” and “Best of Best for 2016”, adding to Studio City’s impressive list of accolades. On the other hand, the holistic, seamless and innovative grand opening campaign also impressed the judge panel of the MARKies Awards 2016 to garner multiple recognitions, namely the Gold Prizes for “Best Idea – Public Relations”, “Best Idea – Design” and “Best Idea – Events”.

“It is our great honor to have collaborated with the true Hollywood icons to produce The Audition for our movie-themed resort Studio City. We are truly excited to have received these prestigious awards for this incredible short film,” said Mr. Lawrence Ho, Chairman and CEO of Melco Crown Entertainment. “Studio City, together with this historic Hollywood short film, is the realization of our commitment to deliver highly innovative entertainment offerings to support Macau’s development into the World Center of Tourism and Leisure.”

Presented by Melco Crown Entertainment and RatPac Entertainment, “The Audition” is helmed by Academy Award-winning director Martin Scorsese and features Hollywood mega-stars Robert De Niro, Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt. This first-ever Hollywood production in Macau showcases Studio City and its world-class entertainment offerings on the world stage. It stands testament to MCE’s goal of enhancing Macau’s non-gaming proposition to the world. At Brand Film Festival 2016, the high-profile short film was designated “Best of Best for 2016”,  recognized as the most artistic, creative and effective branded content film of the year. “The Audition” is currently available for viewing on Studio City’s in-house TV channel.

“The Audition” has also laid down a perfect platform to build a well-rounded creative communications strategy. It helps to effectively promote gaming and entertainment with a culturally sensitive approach. Strategically leveraging “The Audition” throughout its communications plan, Studio City has won the Gold Prize for “Best Idea – Public Relations” in the MARKies Awards 2016. The award recognized MCE’s innovative, creative and effective campaign, as well as its strategic communications in achieving the marketing objectives via traditional and social media.

In addition, Studio City also won the Gold Prizes for “Best Idea – Events” and “Best Idea – Design” in the MARKies Awards 2016 with its grand opening event. The glamorous grand opening event attracted the presence of over 3,500 guests, including Hollywood A-listers, celebrities, government officials and other distinguished guests in the community. Through a series of events such as exciting customized entertainment, digitally interactive performances, as along with star-studded press conferences and red carpet, Studio City created a historic moment in Macau that is by far, one of the largest and most captivating grand openings in the world.

In the short period since its opening, Studio City has already garnered the below awards:

• “Casino/Integrated Resort of the Year” at the International Gaming Awards 2016
• “Best New Venue Opening” at the 2016 CEI Readers’ Choice Awards
• Grand Award in the Structural Excellence Award 2016 organized by the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers
• Highly Commended Award in Hotel Architecture category at the Asia Pacific Property Awards 2016
• “Branded Program”, “Most Creative”, “Viral” and “Best of Best for 2016” at Brand Film Festival
• Gold Prizes for “Best Idea – Public Relations”, “Best Idea – Design” and “Best Idea – Events” at the MARKies Awards

These achievements are strong testimonials of Melco Crown Entertainment’s world-class quality non-gaming and gaming facilities at this new integrated resort.

Studio City – This is Entertainment.

For further information on Studio City, please visit: www.studiocity-macau.com, follow us on Sina Weibo at www.weibo.com/studiocity and like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/studiocitymacau

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Safe Harbor Statement

This press release contains forward-looking statements. These statements are made under the “safe harbor” provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The Company may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its periodic reports to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), in its annual report to shareholders, in press releases and other written materials and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about the Company’s beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, and a number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement. These factors include, but are not limited to, (i) growth of the gaming market and visitation in Macau and the Philippines, (ii) capital and credit market volatility, (iii) local and global economic conditions, (iv) our anticipated growth strategies, (v) gaming authority and other governmental approvals and regulations, and (vi) our future business development, results of operations and financial condition. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by words or phrases such as “may”, “will”, “expect”, “anticipate”, “target”, “aim”, “estimate”, “intend”, “plan”, “believe”, “potential”, “continue”, “is/are likely to” or other  similar  expressions. Further information regarding these and other risks, uncertainties or factors is included in the Company’s filings with the SEC. All information provided in this press release is as of the date of this press release, and the Company undertakes no duty to update such information, except as required under applicable law.

About Melco Crown Entertainment Limited

Melco Crown Entertainment, with its American depositary shares listed on the NASDAQ Global Select Market (NASDAQ:MPEL), is a developer, owner and operator of casino gaming and entertainment casino resort facilities in Asia. Melco Crown Entertainment currently operates Altira Macau (www.altiramacau.com), a casino hotel located at Taipa, Macau and City of Dreams (www.cityofdreamsmacau.com), an integrated urban casino resort located in Cotai, Macau. Melco Crown Entertainment’s business also includes the Mocha Clubs (www.mochaclubs.com), which comprise the largest non-casino based operations of electronic gaming machines in Macau. The Company also majority owns and operates Studio City (www.studiocity-macau.com), a cinematically-themed integrated entertainment, retail and gaming resort in Cotai, Macau. In the Philippines, Melco Crown (Philippines) Resorts Corporation’s subsidiary, MCE Leisure (Philippines) Corporation, currently operates and manages City of Dreams Manila (www.cityofdreams.com.ph), a casino, hotel, retail and entertainment integrated resort in the Entertainment City complex in Manila. For more information about Melco Crown Entertainment, please visit www.melco-crown.com.

Melco Crown Entertainment has strong support from both of its founding shareholders, Melco International Development Limited (“Melco”) and Crown Resorts Limited (“Crown”). Since May 2016, Melco has become the single largest shareholder of Melco Crown Entertainment. Melco is a listed company on the Main Board of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited and is substantially owned and led by Mr. Lawrence Ho, who is Chairman, an Executive Director and the Chief Executive Officer of Melco Crown Entertainment. Crown is a top-100 company listed on the Australian Securities Exchange and led by Mr. James Packer, who is Deputy Chairman and a Non-executive Director of Melco Crown Entertainment.

About Studio City

Studio City takes Macau’s entertainment destination proposition to unprecedented new levels, by providing a ‘next generation’ of outstanding entertainment-driven leisure destination experiences that will help the territory’s evolution into a truly international tourism center.

The Hollywood-themed studio-concept resort is a thrilling new cinematic inspired entertainment and leisure destination and is designed to be the most diversified entertainment offering in Macau.  Ideally located on Cotai, close to the Lotus Bridge immigration point connecting Hengqin Island and a future station-point for the Macau Light Rapid Transit (LTR), Studio City is determined to deliver more world-class entertainment amenities than any integrated resort in the market. 

Studio City’s stunning Art-Deco facade includes an iconic “Golden Reel” gondola ride which straddles the resort’s two-tower hotel at a height of some 130 meters. The integrated resort will provide the ultimate in sophisticated leisure entertainment, hotel, retail, dining and lifestyle experiences.

The resort’s innovative entertainment offerings include “Studio City Event Center”, a 5,000-seat multi-purpose entertainment center designed to host live concerts, theatrical and sporting events; and “Studio 8”, a 300-seat live-audience TV broadcast studio for reality and game-show productions distributed in the Asia region. The entertainment experiences also include a magic theatre “The House of Magic” and a Warner Bros. Batman-themed motion ride “Batman Dark Flight”, a 40,000 sq. ft. family entertainment center “Warner Bros. Fun Zone” for kids filled with Warner Bros.’ and DC Comics’ franchise characters and play-rides, together with “Pacha Macau” which will bring Ibiza-style nightlife to Macau.   

Studio City is destined to deliver an unparalleled leisure entertainment and hospitality experience, strengthening the depth and diversity of Macau’s leisure, business and tourism proposition as a leading visitor destination in Asia.

For further information on Studio City visit: www.studiocity-macau.com and follow us on Sina Weibo at www.weibo.com/studiocity.