Vietnam resists Trump team on US owned casino

Last year, Vietnam asked for my advice about Wall Street tycoon Phil Falcone’s casino at Ho Tram. US diplomats wanted the $1 billion resort included among casinos eligible to receive local gamblers.

Totally globalized native New Yorker and former broadcast news producer Muhammad Cohen is a blogger for Forbes, editor at large for Inside Asian Gaming and author of Hong Kong On Air, a novel set in his adopted hometown during the 1997 handover about television news, love, betrayal, high finance, and cheap lingerie. See his bio, online archive and more at www.muhammadcohen.com; follow him on Facebook and Twitter @MuhammadCohen.

Casino head fake rouses Vietnam

Even with a long awaited casino law bill submitted to Vietnam’s parliament, a Ho Chi Minh City project that looks like a casino, talks like a casino and quacks like a casino will never be a casino.

Totally globalized native New Yorker and former broadcast news producer Muhammad Cohen is a blogger for Forbes, editor at large for Inside Asian Gaming and author of Hong Kong On Air, a novel set in his adopted hometown during the 1997 handover about television news, love, betrayal, high finance, and cheap lingerie. See his bio, online archive and more at www.muhammadcohen.com; follow him on Facebook and Twitter @MuhammadCohen.

Vietnam’s biggest casino ups its resort game

New management at Vietnam’s first integrated resort destination, the Ho Tram Strip announces more hotel rooms, villas and condos plus added resort amenities, even if the most of the new visitors can’t play in its foreigners-only casino. Hotels, restaurants and golf have better margins than casinos, especially in Asia’s cut-throat high roller market.

Totally globalized native New Yorker and former broadcast news producer Muhammad Cohen is a blogger for Forbes and author of Hong Kong On Air, a novel set in his adopted hometown during the 1997 handover about television news, love, betrayal, high finance, and cheap lingerie. See his bio, online archive and more at www.muhammadcohen.com; follow him on Facebook and Twitter @MuhammadCohen.

Falcone resignation ‘positive’ for Vietnam casino

Vietnam casino resort developer Asian Coast Development Ltd (ACDL) says that Philip Falcone’s resignation from Wall Street’s Harbinger Group is a “positive development” for its Ho Tram Strip resort cluster, two hours south of Ho Chi Minh City, the former Saigon. Falcone’s independent Harbinger Capital Partners is the majority investor in ACDL. With a new Greg Norman golf course and new executive leadership, Ho Tram Strip envisions beachfront condominiums to double the size of its first casino resort. The revamped casino team has booked record revenue in October and November, while hoping that Vietnamese will be allowed to try their luck at the tables in the year ahead.

Totally globalized native New Yorker and former broadcast news producer Muhammad Cohen is a blogger for Forbes and author of Hong Kong On Air, a novel set in his adopted hometown during the 1997 handover about television news, love, betrayal, high finance, and cheap lingerie. See his bio, online archive and more at www.muhammadcohen.com; follow him on Facebook and Twitter @MuhammadCohen.

Junket, hotel investor tries Ho Tram, Vietnam

Junket and budget hotel chain co-founder Chien Lee has bet on Vietnam’s Ho Tram Strip. So far, developers of the 400 acre seaside site have built only one of five planned resorts, The Grand – Ho Tram Strip, a drop dead gorgeous 541 room casino hotel designed by Paul Steelman.

Totally globalized native New Yorker and former broadcast news producer Muhammad Cohen is a blogger for Forbes and author of Hong Kong On Air, a novel set in his adopted hometown during the 1997 handover about television news, love, betrayal, high finance, and cheap lingerie. See his bio, online archive and more at www.muhammadcohen.com; follow him on Facebook and Twitter @MuhammadCohen.