Good afternoon, and welcome to the Wynn Resorts third quarter 2013 earnings call. Joining the call on behalf of the company today are Steve Wynn, John Strzemp, Matt Maddox, Kim Sinatra, Gamal Aziz, Maurice Wooden, Scott Peterson, Ian Coughlan, President of Wynn Macau, and Robert Gansmo, CFO of Wynn Macau. Now, I would like to turn the call over to Dr. Maddox. Please go ahead, sir.
Oh, promotion. Dr. Maddox.
Doctor.
Thank you very much. Good afternoon, everybody. Before we get started, I just need to remind everyone on the phone that we will be making forward-looking statements on this call under the safe harbor of federal securities law. Those statements may or may not come true. With that, I'm going to go ahead and turn it over to Steve for some opening remarks.
Okay, Dr. Maddox. It's nice to note that John Strzemp is on the phone. John Strzemp is on the phone. Have a sense of humor about all this. Business is fine at our company, and the numbers are out, so all of you know that. We're on our way to having our best year. We're $117 million ahead for this many days. In China, we're $53 million ahead for this, almost $54 million in Las Vegas, for a total of $171 million or 13.4% ahead for the year, and that includes up till today. It was 15.9% and 12.4% in the other two, each hotel separately, 13.4% overall. We're very happy with our cash flows and especially in Macau, being up 12.5% or so, being $117 or $20 million ahead when we've had new competition, well-designed and well-conceived competition by our colleagues on Cotai.
Cotai continues to be a remarkable achievement. The whole Macau is a remarkable story when you think of the fact that in the space of 8 or 9 years, they've gone from $2 billion to $45 billion-$50 billion in income in casino win. It's such a dazzling and unprecedented piece of information that takes a bit of thinking to get your arms around it. Really, it takes a bit of thinking. I don't think we've had an economic expansion of that nature in modern civilization, modern history, maybe ever. It's quite remarkable, and it's very exciting to be part of it, of course. I was there on Monday. I flew over. I spent some time in Macau, just got home yesterday and stood on our site. They're pouring concrete, finishing the foundations and pouring slabs and getting ready to go up in the air.
We're on schedule and excited to be looking forward to a Chinese New Year in 2016. That's our anticipated opening date, Chinese New Year in 2016. We're now planning phase 2 for Cotai, in which case, we intend to introduce yet another product that no one has ever seen before. There'll be more about that coming later. We're all together very excited watching Japan and the other jurisdictions in Asia, closely following the amazing developments in places like Massachusetts and Philadelphia. We'll take questions now, if anybody would like to ask them. You don't have questions? Is it possible that no one cares?
Victoria, we're ready for questions.
Certainly.
The operator is asleep, I think.
You do have a question from the line of Joseph Greff.
Hello, everybody. I have a question for Dr. Maddox on the balance sheet. Matt, you finished the quarter with $2.7 billion of cash and other liquid investments. You just raised another $600 million. There's $3.3 billion there. How much of that resides in Macau versus the U.S.? If I'm looking at this correctly, you're fully funded at this point for the rest of Cotai. Can you talk about how much of that remaining CapEx spend is going to be between using cash versus the existing facilities there?
Sure. At the parent company, we have approximately $1 billion, and after the tender at Wynn Las Vegas, we'll have about $250 million. That's the U.S. cash. The remaining is in Macau, including the $600 million transaction that we just closed. You're right that Cotai is fully funded. With the over $1.8 billion of cash on hand and a $1.55 billion revolver, there's clearly plenty of capital when you calculate the free cash flow for us to continue our strong dividends out of Macau and also be very flush at the parent.
How much cash will be subject now, Matt, to tax-free repatriation at this point?
Well, Joe, we pay taxes on our earnings. It just happens to be on the gaming revenue in lieu of income tax in Macau. What we do is the earnings and profits are what you can distribute under the pre-filing agreements.
Joe, to change the subject slightly. We borrowed $3.1 billion, if we were to take it all down today, we would be paying $84 million in interest for $3.1 billion. I personally never thought I'd live to see something like that. It's a wonderful time to borrow money. It's a shame that we're all done doing it. It's been such fun, it's been so terrific for the company's balance sheet and for our future. We're very proud of that. Matt, Dr. Maddox, has done a remarkable job, we're going to refer to you as Dr. Maddox from now on. Having done this skilled surgery on our balance sheet, we should call you Dr. Maddox. Next question, please.
I have just one question on Las Vegas. RevPAR was up nicely in the 3Q. Can you talk about what you're experiencing in the 4Q or what your views are for next year? Obviously, the first half of next year is a great convention and group calendar, which helps you, but for the market overall, but your views and outlook there would be helpful. Thank you.
Is Maurice on the call?
He is. Maurice?
I am on. Yes.
Go ahead.
Okay. Going forward, we've had positive trends in fourth quarter as well as next year continue to look like we're continuing with the same momentum that we've had in the previous quarters. 2014, as we've always talked about here in Las Vegas, is trending very well on the convention side.
This is going to be our best year ever, and we're looking forward to that kind of growth and improvement yet again next year.
Thank you.
Your next question is from Felicia Hendrix from Barclays.
Hi, good afternoon. Thanks for the question. Kind of staying on the topic of cash, and Matt, this is for you also, and congratulations on your new designation. This is the time of the year when everyone starts thinking about and talking about a special dividend for you all. I know it's the board's decision, but is there any reason to think that their view on paying a special dividend has changed?
We have a board meeting next week, November fourth and fifth. We'll all get together to discuss a variety of issues, and it's our policy not to anticipate the board's actions, ma'am. If there's any decision that's relevant, we would make an announcement after the board meeting. I don't really want to give any indication either way, because frankly speaking, there are so many subjects that we're going to discuss on Monday and Tuesday, domestic and international issues, that frankly, speaking as the chairman, and I mean frankly, I'm not sure about some of the directions that we'll take with our cash and our positions. This is one time when not only do I not want to preface anything the board may do because I really don't know. We just got so many things to discuss. The opportunities for our company are extraordinary.
Therefore, the decisions are complex. We've got to weigh a number of factors and try and make the most intelligent decisions in all directions. You know that we are primarily an Asian company. Thank goodness and God bless that. We intend to stay an Asian company primarily. I'm not really have anything to tell you about the cash that can help you other than we'll see what happens.
Okay, we'll wait and see. That's very fair. Steve, given the recent news with Caesars in Massachusetts, how do you think this will impact your chances at all, if at all, of being awarded a license there?
Well, I came back from Boston Friday after testifying on Thursday before the commission, and Kim Sinatra told me that Caesars had withdrawn from Suffolk, and I was flabbergasted. It was so unexpected. Give you some idea of the moving parts in Massachusetts, who knows what's next there. It's very confusing, and it's going to be the subject of conversation at my board on Monday and Tuesday as to how we view the Massachusetts situation and such things. If you follow this, it's quite amazing. We've had a wonderful reception in Everett. We got 87% of the vote, which is extraordinary. Even the Red Sox aren't that popular in Everett, so we are. That was very encouraging. Understanding the rules, regulations, and everything else in Massachusetts is daunting at this moment, and hopefully we'll get clarification as the days go by.
In my 47 years of business in the gaming industry, this is probably one of the most challenging, complex situations, the Massachusetts situation, that I've ever faced. I say that honestly and to the point. I'm trying to figure it out, and so is Matt, so is Kim, so is Maurice, so is Gamal Aziz, and all of us. We have more questions than answers usually. That's unusual. We have not been able to have direct contact with the commissioners because of what is referred to in Massachusetts as an Expanded Ethics Guidelines. Expanded Ethics Guidelines is what they say. Okay, new jurisdiction, new commission, very complex legislation. Getting clarification on things is a cumbersome process.
The barrier that's been erected between ourselves and those commissioners that would otherwise allow for an exchange of ideas and allow us to get comfort levels on a number of issues, not just our role as an international business company in Macau, but a number of other issues about the building, the rules. It's been very challenging in Massachusetts, as I say, the Caesars business was surprising, unexpected, and I'm sure it's confused the hell out of Joe O'Donnell and the people in that deal. I'm sure that it's no fun being in their shoes at the moment while they try and sort all this out. Anything else I can help you with?
I have a few more questions, we can end here now. Thank you.
Your next question comes from Shaun Kelley with Bank of America.
Hey, good afternoon, everyone. Maybe to stay on the same topic of Massachusetts and possibly Philadelphia as well, if I could ask, just wanted to get your thoughts on what are some of the key milestones, Steve, in terms of just kind of next steps that we should be looking for, you are looking for in these processes, because clearly, I think when we speak with investors about it as well, we're all also trying to kind of follow along with the process that we're seeing in the news. Are you still comfortable with the timeline for selection being? I believe it's changed, but when do you see that now in 2014 in Massachusetts and also the process in Philadelphia, an update there?
Well, the timeline seems to change frequently. As things unroll, it's very hard to predict what the timelines are. They give us deadlines and drop dead dates on certain presentations and submissions we have to make, and then the response changes, and timelines are altered. We are held to a very strict discipline, but the regulatory agencies, for reasons best known to them, have variable timelines. It's murky to me. I don't know when they're going to decide or how they do it. We know what the legislation says in Pennsylvania, to create jobs, encourage tourism, pay taxes. In Massachusetts, basically the same thing. Other than that, you're sort of left to figure this out for yourself because, as I say, we don't get conversations with these people. We can't have dialogue.
We felt very strongly about this business, about Macau, the commission was kind enough to give us a chance to, ourselves and MGM, to make a presentation in general terms about Macau. We can't read the commission except a few of their questions perhaps. We really don't know what their attitude is. You sort of have to use a local metaphor, you sort of have to roll the dice. It's hard to tell where you stand in many respects. I don't know that I'm entirely comfortable being in this position, but it is what it is.
Okay. Appreciate that. Maybe to switch to a different jurisdiction, different part of the world.
I can add one other thing. Basically, these states are asking us to come and spend billions of dollars. If we were any other business, they would stand on their head and spit wooden nickels to get billions of dollars invested from any other business. We find ourselves being treated in many respects as if they're doing us a favor. When I say that I'm not real comfortable with that status, it's just logical. If I was in any other business and I was willing to spend the kind of money, create the kind of jobs that these states have requested, we would have the red carpet rolled out for us, and the governor and everybody else would be delighted to talk to us.
If you're in the gaming business, there's sort of a crummy presumption that you might be unsavory, and that burns me up, I tell you the truth. I try and get over it because then people say that you're arrogant or you're disdainful of the process. Honestly, in gaming, very often, not in Asia, but here, you can come with your money, your best efforts, your reputation, your brand, and you get the impression that they think they're doing you a favor sometimes saying hi to you. We get to decide whether to live with that or not, and so far, we are.
We're doing our best, incidentally, to bring our best game to the table, to create the jobs, bring tourism, bring people from outside the region into the region, fresh money, tourism. Pay a lot of taxes, give jobs to the local folks, do all the things that cities and states crave. Being an investor in America today is tough. Creating jobs in America today is tough. That's just not Steve Wynn talking. Take the next question.
Certainly. Your next question is from Steven Kent with Goldman Sachs.
I have a pretty easy one, which is, Steve, are you saying Wynn Palace is going to open February 8, 2016 or in the first half? In the press release it says first half. Since you are, and I don't blame you for being concerned about what's going on in Massachusetts, can you just talk about the risk-reward of this? Why pursue these opportunities in Massachusetts or Philadelphia? Is it for diversity? Is it to move the needle? Will the returns be that high? Like you say, would you rather just be an Asian gaming company as you increasingly have been over the past 10 years?
There you go, Steve. Here was the idea. Here's the idea out of my little brain. Las Vegas, we are the prettiest girl on the block, and nobody argues with that, and we're going to remain the premier hotel on the Strip. There are wonderful hotels on the Strip, we're the five-star puppy, and we're the ones with the record-breaking casino win, and we have more than our share of the top discretionary business from international and domestic play. Las Vegas needs support domestically. The amount of gaming activity in Las Vegas domestically has less than it was five years ago. The non-gaming revenue in Las Vegas at our place, because we're very big in that area, nightclubs and all that sort of thing, restaurants, everybody's a foodie these days. Non-casino revenue has gone up.
Casino revenue domestically is not a growing business. It's because of the spread of gaming to the regional casinos. The regional casinos on the area, if we can use Caesars as an example, the folks at Harrah's bought Caesars because they needed a home base to offer as a reward to help promote their regional casinos. The regional casinos, on the other hand, help support Caesars in a very nice way by sending the best of their customers with slot jackpots and promotional rewards to Caesars Palace. This is such an important thing that the folks at Pinnacle Entertainment made a deal with Wynn to use us as a base for their players. We get some nice players from Pinnacle Entertainment, and Pinnacle Entertainment benefits from that. It was a deal that Dr. Maddox made. We said we weren't into riverboats and racinos, not our thing.
We've always eschewed any opportunity like that. All of a sudden, Pennsylvania and Massachusetts say, "We're going to put hotel casinos in the metropolitan area." This means that the era of the Grand Hotel could come back again. Beautiful hotels that people actually go and stay for the weekend, eat in fine restaurants, have meetings. Sure, if they want to gamble, they go down the hall and gamble in a room that's isolated. I like that idea of the Grand Hotel. I love the heyday of the Waldorf Astoria and the Ritz and places like that. I thought, here comes a chance to resurrect the Grand Hotel in Boston and Philadelphia, and we'll bring our brand to those cities and bring people from outside the region into the region. That will also help us increase our databases in Las Vegas.
Las Vegas, on the other hand, because we're a premier property, will make the people that go to Boston and Philadelphia even more excited about being part of the Wynn system. I saw this pretty picture of Urban Wynn in Boston and Philadelphia, hotels of our standard at our level complementing our place in Las Vegas, and maybe us picking up $15 million or $20 million in EBITDA here as incremental profitability in Las Vegas. Incidentally, in the process, establishing a structure in Philadelphia or Boston that would be so exemplary, such a case study in what we do, so completely different from the relatively ugly face of gaming in America. I think if you look at regional gaming in America with one or two exceptions, it's homely. Racinos are homely and unattractive places.
We were going to build something that would be a case study on what's really nice and pretty in town. If they had gambling in Dallas or Houston or in Chicago, they would come to us, that we would have an example, just like Wynn. Listen, we got Macau because of Bellagio and Mirage. It was our track record. It was the things that we actually did, not what we said that have made us the company we are. Actions speak louder than words, than especially developers speak. That was my idea about the Urban Wynn.
You run smack dab into these freshman regulatory agencies and their unbelievable preoccupation that maybe a gangster is going to get in or that. I had one investigator, I won't mention any details, but asked one of my outside directors for proof of the ownership of his car. For crying out loud, how ridiculous. We had to pay for this crap by the hour. Another person wanted to ask a 56-year married person on my board, a person of extraordinary character and reputation a marriage license. Deal fatigue sets in at this point, and we say Urban Wynn is such a fetching idea and makes sense on the domestic side of Wynn Las Vegas.
We take Wynn Las Vegas as a company that's under-leveraged with $3 billion of equity in it, and we say we could change the name of Wynn Las Vegas to Wynn America, and build Boston and Philadelphia as part of Wynn Las Vegas of Wynn America, and have a new domestic company called Wynn America. That would be a model for us to go to other cities and grow in the future, not as a regional casino, but as metropolitan hotel casinos in cities, as I've mentioned before. Steve, that was the idea that got us into this, and sometimes when you're faced with an alligator and you're up to your neck in them, you say, "I came here to drain the swamp." What happened? We're trying to figure things out, but that was the thinking that was behind it.
Our opportunities in Asia expand rapidly and beautifully. We're well-received there. We love being there. For all intents and purposes, Asia is going to grow in South Korea, Japan, and our hotel in Cotai is going to be so preemptive. The Wynn Palace, it's called. Wynn Palace in Cotai is going to be the most photographed casino structure in the world when it comes into focus in a few months. I think that's going to serve as an example of what we do when we put our best game forward. These are all things we're trying to sort out. Maybe that's more information than you wanted, but that was my thinking as we went forward with Urban Wynn, and it is my thinking at the moment, barring any changes.
I think, Steve, that's why so many of us are asking these questions because things are, by the way, went so well the past few quarters, the past few years. That's why I think the focus is on this. By the way, can you answer that question I mentioned earlier about the press release says first half of 2016. I know maybe we're splitting hairs here, but you-
No.
-suggested Chinese New Year.
Well, we got this big bonus with Leighton that's built into our price if they make Chinese New Year. When I stood on the property Monday morning, I got there at 6:30 A.M. before the workers showed up. Mike Harvey, who was on the call with me, says he's going to make it. Mike built the first two hotels over there, Wynn and Encore for Leighton, and now is running our job for us. We paid a fortune to get this brilliant construction guy. Mike, are you going to make New Year's?
Yes, we'll make it.
There's that Aussie. We'll make Chinese New Year. Of course, we got a lot of water to swim. We got a channel to cross before we get there, but we're feeling good about it, Steve.
Thank you very much.
Sure.
Your next question is from Harry Curtis with Nomura.
Hi, Harry.
Hey, Steve. How are you? I'm not going to ask you about the impact of Obamacare on your labor situation, but boy, I'd love to.
Thanks, Harry.
Let's go back.
I got enough aggravation, Harry. Don't do it.
Let's go back to Asia. Wynn Palace. Wynn Macau, it looks like there's some table shifting between VIP over to mass. I'm just wondering, can you talk a little bit about how you're designing the building for the target customer is? Are you changing your target customer to account for more premium mass? Are there any scope changes that are being made as a result of that? The follow-on is, you had mentioned phase two for Cotai. Maybe we call it Wynn Annex. It's a beautiful name.
No, you call it Wynn Diamond.
Okay. My question there is, can you just talk about how much incremental acreage is going to be left over that you can develop on, and will it essentially be kind of non-gaming oriented?
Well, first of all, we are constantly adjusting our tables, general versus junket versus our program to mass premium, the Diamond Club. As customer patterns shift, we stay very loose. We're constantly reevaluating the floor. We're also adding two major junket areas in the Wynn Macau facility on the southwest corner. They're quite special. They're going to be very fancy, and they'll be done for Chinese New Year next year, I'm sure. No, we are not changing our focus at Wynn Palace. It has 7 different types of rooms that cover a full range of every conceivable level of luxury. The smallest room in the hotel is 720 sq ft, but most of them are 900 sq ft up to thousands of sq ft. Nothing that we've ever done is like Wynn Palace. Its $4 billion has been value-engineered. We have no more scope changes.
The drawings are finished, the building is underway. It will cater to all sectors of the market. There will be Casino development. Wynn Diamond will include the Wynn Diamond Coliseum of 15,000 seats. It will include an all-suite Wynn Diamond Hotel that will be directly related, 1,300 sq ft suite, at the premium mass market and above. It will have features and entertainment and restaurants unlike anything we've done before. It'll have an enormous amount of it. The entertainment quotient is going to go sky high, especially with the Coliseum and the related spaces. We'll be giving more information about the Diamond Coliseum and the Diamond Tower as we go along, but it's not quite time for that yet. When we're done with the Diamond Coliseum and Wynn Diamond, there is no more real estate left after phase 2. We'll have completely developed Cotai.
Thanks, Steve.
Did I hit all the points, Matt?
You did.
Okay. Sure enough.
Your next question is from Thomas Allen with Morgan Stanley.
Hi, following up on the earlier comments about Wynn U.S. You entered into the online gaming space through a partnership with 888, and you applied for a New Jersey online license. How do you think about that opportunity and how Wynn fits in? Also, just conceptualizing it around the context of your comments around regional gaming versus Urban Wynn. Thanks.
The internet gaming and our first really big-time crack at that is going to be in New Jersey. The regulations have been promulgated tentatively. I don't think the last chapter's been written on how the state of New Jersey intends to do that. We are following it, as you can imagine, responsibly and closely, because we want our shareholders to benefit from digital gaming in one form or another, if it's to become a factor that's powerful. We have to take one step at a time. You know it's illegal in America, except in Nevada and in New Jersey. New Jersey is going to be a very interesting case because it's gaming across the board. It's tables and slots and all that stuff. We got our toe in the water. We're going to go at this.
I think we're also going to consider the possibility of social gaming for virtual gaming because it's probably time for us to take care of all that at once. Matt may want to comment on this. Maybe I don't.
No, again, we are entering the market, as Steve said, with our toe in the water to make sure that we learn as this rolls out or does not roll out. It's clearly not a big piece of the Wynn strategy. As Steve pointed out, we're an Asian company. We're making sure that we're paying attention and getting smart.
We also got to make sure that if we do it, we protect our brand.
Yes.
We just can't limp in like another screen. We got to be special. That's a challenge.
Okay. And then just-
Sorry. Go ahead.
Then just on Macau quickly, you had a very strong quarter. I think margins were a bit higher than I think we expected and other people expected. Were there any one-time things in there, or was the hold different in direct versus junket VIP? Thanks.
There were no real one-time issues this month. We did hold a little higher in direct than our life to date average. It's probably in the neighborhood of a $15 million adjustment.
It was just a good quarter.
Yeah.
All of Macau is cooking, as you know. We always manage to get our share. We have a very loyal clientele. We deal to the top end of the market. People stick with us because we're so consistent in our standards. Consistency is a wonderful word, whether you're in private life, in business, even if you're a regulator. Consistency is very important. Predictability, reliability. Look, companies behave in the future as they have in the past. The greatest way to evaluate anybody is to look at their history, especially one that's as established as ours. All of us have been together for 30 or more years. There are no surprises in our stack. We're a pretty packed quantity. Whether you're looking at us as an investor or you're looking at us as a regulator, there aren't any surprises in the Wynn stack.
We're sort of a one-trick pony. We do resort hotels that have gaming in them, period. We do it a certain way, as you guys know, with a heavy emphasis on human resources and hopefully good taste in terms of our physical facilities. That's really a full-time job right there. There are no other tricks to it. That's why we had a good quarter and why we'll have a good quarter next time, too.
Great. Thank you very much.
Next question.
Your next question comes from the line of Robin Farley with UBS.
Hiya, Robin.
Hi, how are you? Two questions. One is, are you likely to partner in Japan or have desire to partner in Japan, have you had conversations along those lines? Secondly, just to clarify, when you and Matt were both talking about what the benefit to EBITDA in Macau of high hold, you guys were talking the same time and the number didn't actually come through. I think you gave a number, though.
Matt said it might have been $10 million or $15 million.
Correct.
Okay, great. Thanks.
About Japan, Robin, we've been approached by some very prominent major institutions in Japan who've come and looked at our hotel. The real intelligent thing for people interested is to come look at what we do. Look at our neighbors. Look at all these companies. Are we all the same? Hell, no. Look at what we are. Look at what we've done. That tells you what we will be if you partner with us or if you're picking us. Don't pay any attention to what people say, pay attention to what they do. So people come from Japan, companies. We haven't publicized it. We don't talk about it because it's too soon, but we are very keen on Japan. Is it the right thing to be in a partnership with a Japanese company? Maybe, but it's a little too soon to tell.
We, first of all, would like to know what the rules and regulations are so we can assess the business opportunity. We'll get to have continuing conversations with the folks that have approached us, who are very special indeed. We jettisoned Mr. Okada, and he'll stay jettisoned. We'll see what happens in Japan, and South Korea, and Taiwan, et cetera.
Okay, great. Thank you.
Sure.
Your next question comes from the line of Joel Simkins with Credit Suisse.
Hello, Joel. Hello, Joel. You still there, Joel?
Joel, your line is open.
I think we lost Joel. Bye, Joel. Who's after Joel?
Your next question, you have a follow-up from the line of Felicia Hendrix with Barclays.
Hi, thanks for the follow-up. Steve, can you just talk about your food and beverage revenues in Vegas? They declined in the quarter. We haven't seen that in the past, and I'm just wondering what the competitive environment might look like there in the kind of club entertainment area.
You just put your finger on it. You hit it bullseye. They opened a place down the street called Hakkasan, and they opened a place over at Mandalay Bay called Daylight or something else, Cirque du Soleil's involved. The clubs proliferated. When they proliferated, these guys start paying $80 gazillion to the DJs in sort of a frantic effort to capture the business. It's like a lot of things that happen in the casino business. Everybody goes crazy for the top line, and they forget about the bottom line. We like the nightclub business, as you know, and we've sort of led the parade. I think we still do in terms of profitability. We turned our back on some of the more outrageous disc jockey fees.
Wonderful guys they are, and they're friends of ours, and they work for us for a third or a quarter of what they work for now. We go find new guys, and we find and keep the ones that are really perfect for us. We protect our bottom line, but we gave up a little bit of the top line because it wasn't profitable. You see that reflected in some of the booze numbers from the nightclubs. What else is new, right? It's the same thing as when the less experienced casino companies start trying to bribe customers with credit to get them to come. They try and buy the business. Those executives come and go. After they screw up the place, they fire that guy, and they get a new guy, and then they settle down.
Look, there's a certain amount of money you can pay a disc jockey and have a business. There's a certain amount of money that you can give in comps and promotional allowances to a customer and still have a business. I hate to say it, those numbers are inexorable, they're undeniable, and they live. There's any number of idiots that will try and pretend that there is no gravity, that there is no Monday morning. That's going on in the nightclub scene here at the moment. They'll get over it.
Okay, thanks.
We're still having the best year we ever had.
Your next question comes from the line of Amit Kapoor with Gabelli & Company.
Yeah. Thanks for taking my question. Can you share your perspective on how the Japanese landscape looks different this time around? Is the regulatory process, does it have legs and momentum enough to carry? Has the selection of Tokyo as an Olympic destination sort of helped the prospects of gaming this time in Japan? Thank you.
They haven't selected Tokyo at all. No, I can't shed any more light on it. The situation is still undefined. End of answer. Sorry.
Your next question comes from the line of Grant Govertsen with Union Gaming, Macau.
Hey, good morning, guys, and thanks for taking my question. In the third quarter, obviously, VIP volumes were up nicely. I think premium or high-end mass is probably up similarly. Given that there are a lot of moving parts, but could you give us a sense for, I guess, the importance of the amount of rooms that you've already refurbished on this uptick in volume? It seems that going forward, that should have a meaningful impact in 2014 and beyond.
I'm not sure I understood the question.
I think he's talking about our room remodel will be finished in December, so we had 7% of our rooms out of service this quarter.
We had the rooms out. We're having a great quarter. We had some of our rooms out of service. The remodel will be done in a few weeks. Everybody loves the new rooms. We upgraded them as we did in Las Vegas. We do that every five or six years. If you do the math, you got to put away in Las Vegas about $17 for every occupied room night if you want to refurbish every five or six years and keep the place beautiful and spotless and all that. We do it in China. We do it in Las Vegas. We run our business the same no matter what country we're in.
My question was, are you seeing a difference in customers coming because of the room refresh, perhaps an uptick in volume immediately due to that, or is that too early?
No. We didn't expect any new customers. We expected our same customers and our normal rate of growth. There's always some new customers. We didn't think the remodel itself would change the landscape dramatically, just reinforce our dedication to excellence. We didn't do it with the idea that it would be a game changer. I think that would be expecting too much.
Makes sense.
Yeah. I hope that answered your question.
Thank you. I'd now like to turn the call back over to Steve for any closing remarks.
No. I'm thrilled with the fact that timing has been excellent for people like ourselves who are expanding and borrowing money. Far, we are expanding and borrowing money in Asia. Let me put it this way. I hope that as we go forward, that the atmosphere, the opportunities in the United States of America, will come back down to levels of predictability, cooperation, and respect that should be shown to companies like ourselves, who are willing to risk great capital, that have long, respectable track records. That we'll have opportunities to make intelligent investments in our own country and create jobs in our own country that are as good as the ones we find abroad. Sadly, that is not necessarily the case during this phone call in October of 2013.
I think that we ought to take a real careful look at ourselves, whoever we are, and ask that question: Do we really want to encourage job creation? Do we really want to welcome investment and risk-taking by companies like Wynn, like Sands, like Apollo and Texas Pacific? Do we really want that? Are we so preoccupied with foolish distraction and misdirected priorities that we kill that wonderful energy that makes a better life for people? Because in the history of the world, the only thing that's ever created a better standard of living for the population has been the demand for their labor, the creation of jobs. Unless you're talking about Obamacare and the IRS, the government doesn't create the jobs. State and local governments and the federal government are supposed to create the environment in which those jobs can be created.
God knows guys like us, our crew here at Wynn, we're dying to grow. We're dying to spread our wings and try new things. Damned if we're going to do it in the face of adversity from Washington, D.C. or any other capital. Why should we? Life's too short. That's it for this time. Speak to you in 90 days.
Thank you for your participation in today's call