Satisfied with meetings in Brazil, Jan Jones to return in June to move forward with projects

"Satisfactory results from visits bring us closer to Brazil". With this phrase, Jan Jones summarized for Games Magazine, yesterday, the last day of her second trip to the country, and her feeling about the receptivity that she had from the Brazilian authorities. From her busy schedule, meetings were held with the government of the state of Bahia, Salvador City Hall, Ministry of Tourism, with representatives and senators, Caixa Econômica Federal, American embassy and businessmen.

Accompanied by David Zats, vice president of institutional and juridical relations for the Group, and Brazilian Caesars’ partner, André Feldman, executive that heads the WSOP Circuit Brazil operation, Jaones was encouraged by the maturation of the beneficial perception that gaming will bring to the country in all the meetings she had.

In Bahia, Jones was received by the Secretary of Tourism, who presented her several investment options in the state, including Sauípe and Porto Seguro. In the capital, she was also received by the Mayor of Salvador, ACM Neto, who impressed her showing great knowledge of the sector and interest in attracting to the city one of the three integrated complexes to be built by Caesars with the approval the gaming law. ACM Neto told Jones that "Salvador is a strategic area, due to its geographic location and a tourist sector ready to embrace a consistent project to increase the supply of more tools to attract visitors to the city and, consequently, to the whole state of Bahia."

In Brasilia, the meetings focused on the Ministry of Tourism, the National Congress, CEF and the American embassy. "Between my first visit and this one, I realized that everyone involved has demonstrated more knowledge about the subject and how our industry can contribute to economic and social development. I realized that they are very committed to making a law that brings mainly legal certainty to international investors," she said.

Among the parliamentarians with whom she met, the Caesars executive highlights the federal deputy Elmar Nascimento (DEM / BA), president of the special committee of gaming in the Chamber. "He is an in-depth knowledge of national and international laws and regulations, showing seriousness and a great deal of confidence and understanding that legislation must be strict to prevent activities that are not in line with global compliance rules of large groups."

Among other parliamentarians who have been with Jones, her local partner André Feldman highlights the deputies for São Paulo, Antônio Goulart and André Sanchez. "They have defended the approval of the gaming law and demonstrated maturity when affirming that it is more than time for Brazil to enter the global entertainment industry. For them it is a path without a return and in the future everyone will realize the benefits that the activity will bring to the economy. "

During her visit to the Ministry of Tourism, Jones explained to Deputy Secretary Alberto Alves not only the Caesars Group's willingness to invest almost US$ 2 billion in three casinos, but also her perception that the projects that attract tourists to the casino should be separated. Such as integrated resorts with casinos, which generate thousands of jobs and tourists, those activities that are important locally but will not bring tourists. "Brazil must implement an extremely rigid and restrictive law, not only assessing the economic issue in the choice of casino operator groups, but also how much the proposals will promote tourism, employment and development in each region of the country," she said.

The only visit that the executive of Caesars chose not to comment was the one made yesterday, 05/25, to the Caixa Econômica Federal (Federal Savings Bank), since it is a probable organ directly connected to the implementation of the gaming sector in the country and, for confidentiality reasons, can not be explained. Between the lines, however, she only showed that among the themes discussed were the casinos themselves, sports betting and the bidding of Lotex.

Beside the visits to authorities, there still was time to receive representatives from the hotel industry, construction directors and banks. "Everyone is keen to introduce themselves as potential Caesars partners. Hotel operators understand that it will be a unique opportunity to expand their business, while construction companies are already presenting themselves as candidates to take off the drawing board and take to the field the projects to be raised by Caesars. Some of the country's top banks are also showing an interest in participating in the megaprojects of the world's largest casino operator," says Feldman, who was also excited about the success of Jan Jones and David Zats' visit to Brazil.

According to Feldman, "today the two big markets to be opened for the gaming industry are Brazil and Japan and the first one that is regulated will receive more investments, because it will be strategically in the forefront for investments by big corporations." In some cases, he considers, investors will have to choose between one or the other, since although it is a billionaire market, the gaming industry has finite resources and investments.

For this reason, he believes that on Jan Jones's next visit to the country, already with an adjusted roadmap for Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo, the opening horizon of the sector will be even closer. "She is so excited about Brazil that in June she will come with her engineering team to study more in depth the possibilities and better scaling of the complexes to be built. I have already seen some sketches of what is to come in term of projects and the ventures will marvel not only the Brazilians, but the admirers of this thriving sector all over the world. "

Source: Exclusive GMB
Author: Gildo Mazza