Hotel and gaming owner and operator Hann Group has officially opened the latest addition to its entertainment and leisure complex in Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga, the Hann Casino Resort. This is the first fully integrated resort in Clark and envisioned to bring to life the idea of a “millionaire’s playground.”
The soft opening of the Hann Casino Resort held last December 15 saw the casino opening its doors to guests. With over 800 machines inside the casino and over 100 table games available, the new casino is the largest north of Manila. It also features 2 private playing areas for VIP guests as well as several dining outlets featuring different cuisines.
In the main casino area, guests can head on to spice to enjoy piping hot noodle dishes and other Asian snacks and meals.
For those looking for a heavier fare, Nasi offers classic Filipino favorites. Just outside the casino grounds, guests can drop by Wu Xing, a fine dining Chinese restaurant and the first branch the brand has outside of China.
The soft opening event marks the first phase of its opening. The second phase will see the grand launch of Hann Casino and the first flagship franchise of Swissotel Clark, a five-star international brand well-renowned for its intelligent design, quality craftsmanship, and mindful approach to sustainability.
“Swissotel is a 5-star luxury brand under Accor. Once it is operational, it will have 372 rooms in its 19 floors and around 7 F&B outlets available,” Hann Philippines Inc. (HPI) Assistant Vice President for corporate planning, development and communication Neki Liwanag shared.
HPI chairman and CEO Daesik Han noted that it was a conscious decision for the company to push through with their projects even with the effects of the pandemic on both the business and construction work.
“Despite the undeniable disruption that the pandemic has caused, Hann’s vision of creating the ultimate playground in Clark remains true and the same.The soft opening of Hann Casino and Swissotel Clark will help kickstart the country’s economy by providing much-needed jobs to Filipinos. By 2022, Hann Casino Resort is expected to employ more than 1,000 Filipinos,” Han said.
Han is also optimistic that the tourism and leisure sector would start to bounce back in 2022.
“If I’m pretty bullish, we can expect recovery by the end of the second quarter of next year.
The tourism sector contributes a lot to the Philippines’ GDP and we cannot ignore what other countries are doing right now. Thailand and Vietman are already opening their tourism sectors. The Philippines has to follow, taking into consideration the risks the pandemic poses,” he said.
The casino can currently accommodate up to 50 percent of its maximum guest capacity as part of the existing operating guidelines published by the national government. To ensure the health and safety of guests, the existing safety protocols were enhanced to adhere to government-mandated measures.
Furthermore, the air conditioning in the gaming areas use an Under-Floor Air Distribution (UFAD) system which ensures that the air in the casino is continually cleaned of pollutants including tobacco smoke, volatile organic compounds, and critically, airborne pathogens such as the SARS-CoV-2 virus which causes COVID-19.
Moreover, all employees undergo regular swab testing and more than 90 percent have already completed their vaccination against COVID-19.
“Before the pandemic, we already had stringent cleanliness and sanitation practices in place, which is why we quickly adapted to the new normal. We assure our guests that their safety and well-being are at the core of Hann Casino Resort’s design,” Han said.
Hann Casino Resort features Hann Casino, Clark Marriott, Swissotel Clark, and, in a few years, Mercure Hotel. It is the first sub-brand under Hann Resorts, a luxury brand under Hann Philippines, Inc. (HPI). The other sub-brand, Hann Lux Lifestyle Resort, is currently in the planning stage.
HPI is a member of the Hann Group, the consortium behind premier luxury destinations such as the Widus Hotel & Casino and Clark Marriott.