Luxury resort, Resorts World Sentosa, seals deal as inaugural sponsor for LIV Golf tournament.
The luxurious Resorts World Sentosa in Singapore has entered into a partnership with the debatable international professional golf tour, LIV Golf, which is funded by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF), one of the wealthiest sovereign wealth funds globally, with an estimated asset value of $620 billion.
The 2023 LIV Golf Season kicked off last month at LIV Golf Mayakoba in Mexico, moving next to Tucson, AZ, from March 17-19. Following this, LIV Golf Singapore is scheduled for April 28-30 at Sentosa Golf Club’s Serapong course. Notably, Resorts World Singapore, a global integrated resort destination, will serve as the presenting sponsor of LIV Golf Singapore. Their property houses a casino floor spanning 160,000 square feet, boasting over 2,400 slot machines and 500 table games.
RW Sentosa CEO Tan Hee Teck commented, "We’re thrilled to bring LIV Golf to Singapore as it aligns with our ethos of offering unique and premium experiences to our expansive clientele. Many of our premium visitors are also golf aficionados, and this event will resonate with them."
LIV Golf's CEO and commissioner, World Golf Hall of Fame member Greg Norman, expressed that the Singapore golf tournament will attract some of the world's elite golfers to the region, referring to it as a market that merits showcasing the sport's top competition and event experiences.
Sharing a duopoly on casino gambling in Singapore with Marina Bay Sands, Resorts World Sentosa has so far managed to remain entangled in a relatively subdued controversy surrounding LIV Golf being viewed as a means for the Saudi government to improve its public image through sports. In the United States, there's an ongoing negative sentiment among residents, journalists, and PGA Tour players due to the country's alleged connection to the financing of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
Despite the controversy, LIV Golf has been able to entice numerous high-profile players from the PGA Tour with its massive sign-on bonuses and $25 million tournament purses. Major golf stars such as Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, and Brooks Koepka have already joined LIV Golf's ranks.
The parent organization of Resorts World Sentosa, Genting Group, is a Malaysian conglomerate with investments in gaming and hospitality, oil and gas, agriculture, science and biotechnology, and power generation. It is less likely that Genting's Resorts World New York City property would back a U.S.-based LIV Golf event, but the Singapore tournament is expected to cause minimal controversy for the global conglomerate.
According to Tan, who was appointed CEO in May 2022, sponsoring LIV Golf Singapore is an extension of Resorts World's ongoing commitment to offering world-class entertainment and attractions in Singapore.
Former President Donald Trump is a strong supporter of LIV Golf, offering several of his golf courses to the tour. The 2023 LIV Golf League includes 14 tournaments, with three taking place on courses bearing Trump's name – LIV Golf Washington, D.C., LIV Golf Bedminster, and LIV Golf Miami.
Genting is pursuing a full-scale casino license for RW New York City, which would enable them to bring Las Vegas-style slots, live dealer table games, and sports betting to the property. Along with MGM Resorts’ Empire City Casino in Yonkers, Resorts World is considered a front-runner for one of the three downstate casino licenses.
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