Triple Triumph for 'The House of Dancing Water'

MACAU, Dec. 9, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- City of Dreams today celebrated the triple triumph of its flagship world-class entertainment offering 'The House of Dancing Water'. The iconic water-based show scooped the prestigious international THEA Award for Outstanding Achievement from the Themed Entertainment Association ("TEA") and Best Entertainment of Macau from 2011 Hurun Report. Dancing Water Theater, the magnificent home designed and custom-built for this awe-inspiring production, also earned the DFA (The Design for Asia) Merit Recognition Award for its design excellence.

The THEA awards, now in their 18th year, recognize and honor excellence in the creation of outstanding visitor experiences, attractions, exhibits and places. 'The House of Dancing Water' is the one of only three projects in Asia and the only live show in Macau to be honored by TEA.

'The House of Dancing Water' was named the Best Entertainment of Macau – Most Striking Visual Extravaganza by 2011 Hurun Presidential Awards organized by Hurun Report, renowned for its annual "China Rich List" of tycoons. The winners were chosen based on the experiences of mystery shoppers, made up of Chinese billionaire luxury travelers from the Hurun Rich List, and a detailed scorecard featuring the key facilities.

Designed by Pei Partnership Architects, Dancing Water Theater, one of the world's largest water-based theaters which houses the world's largest commercial pool featuring cutting-edge theater technology, is the only project in Macau that received the DFA Award for good design which reflects or has an impact on the Asian lifestyle.

Mr. Lawrence Ho, Co-Chairman and CEO of Melco Crown Entertainment (SEHK:6883) (Nasdaq:MPEL), said: "We are very proud of how much 'The House of Dancing Water' has achieved throughout its first year of performances. Not only has it become a world-renowned production, fortifying City of Dreams' proposition as the premier entertainment resort in Asia, it has drawn global attention to Macau as an international travel and leisure destination. For this, I thank the Macau SAR Government, especially the Macau Government Tourist Office, for its incredible support on the show, which is vital for the show's success."

Mr. Sunny Yu, Melco Crown Entertainment's Vice President of Entertainment and Projects, said: "The groundbreaking creativity of 'The House of Dancing Water' and the technological innovation of the purpose-built Dancing Water Theater, make this extravaganza truly 'a show like no other on Earth'. The show has impressed close to 1 million spectators and garnered raved reviews from entertainment critics all around the world. It definitely lives up to its reputation as the 'must see' iconic show in Asia and we look forward to celebrating more milestones for our resident show in the years to come." 

'The House of Dancing Water' intertwines the splendor of human performance with spectacular scenes of beautiful romantic water dances, showcasing sequences such as a 'human chandelier' and 'Russian swings', that involve high-performance diving and gymnastic artistry. The excitement of the show reaches a climax when the incredible motorcycle acrobats and flying strap performers whiz through the air in a stunning display of skills, precision and artistry.

Tickets for the 2012 performances of the most spectacular water-based extravaganza at City of Dreams Macau are now available at www.cityofdreamsmacau.com, www.thehouseofdancingwater.com, www.macau.com, www.cityline.com, www.sistic.com and at City of Dreams' guest services counters and Parsons Music outlets across Hong Kong.

City of Dreams is operated by a Macau subsidiary of Melco Crown Entertainment Limited, an entertainment company listed on the Main Board of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (SEHK:6883) and the NASDAQ Global Select Market (Nasdaq:MPEL). It is an integrated entertainment resort that has established itself as a premier leisure and entertainment destination in Macau.

Safe Harbor Statement

This announcement contains forward-looking statements. These statements are made under the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by words or phrases such as "may," "will," "expect," "anticipate," "target," "aim," "estimate," "intend," "plan," "believe," "potential," "continue," "is/are likely to" or other similar expressions. The parent company of City of Dreams, Melco Crown Entertainment Limited ("Melco Crown Entertainment") may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its periodic reports to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, in its annual report to shareholders, in press releases and other written materials and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about beliefs and expectations of Melco Crown Entertainment, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. A number of factors affecting Melco Crown Entertainment could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement, including but not limited to the following: growth of the gaming market and visitation in Macau; increased competition and other planned casino hotel and resort projects in Macau and elsewhere in Asia; the completion of infrastructure projects in Macau; government regulation of the casino industry; the ability to raise additional financing; the formal grant of occupancy permits for areas of City of Dreams undergoing construction and/or development; anticipated growth strategies; and future business development, results of operations and financial condition. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in Melco Crown Entertainment's Annual Report on Form 20-F filed on April 1, 2011 and other documents filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Melco Crown Entertainment does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required under applicable law. All information provided in this press release is as of the date of this release, and Melco Crown Entertainment undertakes no duty to update such information, except as required under applicable law.

About Melco Crown Entertainment Limited

Melco Crown Entertainment Limited ("Melco Crown Entertainment"), an entertainment company listed on the Main Board of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (SEHK:6883) and the NASDAQ Global Select Market (Nasdaq:MPEL), is a developer, owner and through a Macau subsidiary which holds a gaming sub-concession, an operator of casino gaming and entertainment casino resort facilities focused on the Macau market. Melco Crown Entertainment currently operates Altira Macau (www.altiramacau.com) (formerly Crown Macau), a casino hotel located at Taipa, Macau and City of Dreams (www.cityofdreamsmacau.com), an integrated urban casino resort located in Cotai, Macau. Melco Crown Entertainment's business also includes the Mocha Clubs (www.mochaclubs.com), which feature a total of approximately 1,800 gaming machines in nine locations and comprise the largest non-casino based operations of electronic gaming machines in Macau. For more information about Melco Crown Entertainment, please visit www.melco-crown.com. Melco Crown Entertainment has strong support from both of its major shareholders, Melco International Development Limited ("Melco") and Crown Limited ("Crown"). Melco is a listed company on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and is substantially owned and led by Mr. Lawrence Ho, who is Co-Chairman, a Director and the CEO of Melco Crown Entertainment. Crown is a top-50 company listed on the Australian Stock Exchange and led by Executive Chairman Mr. James Packer, who is also Co-Chairman and a Director of Melco Crown Entertainment.

About City of Dreams

City of Dreams is operated by a Macau subsidiary of Melco Crown Entertainment Limited, an entertainment company listed on the Main Board of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (SEHK:6883) and the NASDAQ Global Select Market (Nasdaq:MPEL). It is an integrated entertainment resort that has established itself as a premier leisure and entertainment destination in Macau. Located in the heart of Cotai in Macau, it combines electrifying entertainment, a diverse array of accommodation, regional and international dining, designer brand shopping and a spacious and contemporary casino. The resort brings together a collection of world-renowned brands including Crown, Grand Hyatt, Hard Rock and Dragone to create an exceptional entertainment experience that aims to appeal to a broad spectrum of visitors from around Asia and the world. City of Dreams features a 420,000-square-foot casino with approximately 400 gaming tables and approximately 1,300 gaming machines; over 20 restaurants and bars; an impressive array of some of the world's most sought-after retail brands; and Dragon's Treasure, an iconic and spectacular audio visual multimedia experience. 'The House of Dancing Water', the world's largest water-based extravaganza showcased in the purpose-built Dancing Water Theater, represents the live entertainment centerpiece of City of Dreams' overall leisure and entertainment offering. A comprehensive range of accommodation options at City of Dreams include Crown Towers offering approximately 300 guest rooms, Hard Rock Hotel offering approximately 300 guest rooms and Grand Hyatt Macau offering approximately 800 guest rooms. A second planned phase of development at City of Dreams will feature an apartment hotel consisting of approximately 800 units. For more information please visit: www.cityofdreamsmacau.com (Official Website) and www.cityofdreamsmedia.com (Medial Portal). For The House of Dancing Water information, please visit www.thehouseofdancingwater.com (Official Website) and www.thehouseofdancingwatermedia.com (Media Portal).

About Franco Dragone Entertainment Group

The Franco Dragone Entertainment Group, founded in 2000 by Mr. Franco Dragone, conceives, produces and stages live shows, which integrate post modern dance, music, circus art and special effects within a dramatic narrative. The Franco Dragone Entertainment Group captivates audiences through a unique combination of disciplines sensitively orchestrated to produce one of the world's most spectacular shows.

Mr. Franco Dragone made his name in the 1980's and 1990's as the leading creative force behind Cirque du Soleil where he created groundbreaking shows such as Mystère, Saltimbanco, Alegria, Quidam, O, and La Nouba. Over 75 million people have experienced Mr. Franco Dragone's unique theatrical creations. Since its establishment, Dragone has proven itself with critical acclaim and commercial successes including:

• Le Rêve, a permanent show produced in conjunction with Wynn Resorts in Las Vegas. The show has celebrated its 2000th performance on stage in November 2009 and its 5th Anniversary in May 2010, and it is still a mainstay in the city's show scene.
   
• A New Day, a Las Vegas resident show starring Céline Dion and incorporating her music. Over 3.5 million spectators attended the show over 5 years with daily sell out shows. Dragone has created and produced 26 shows and events including Euro 2000 and the Disney Cinema Parade in Paris.
   
• Kung Fu Panda, a Kung Fu Panda Touring Live Show will be produced for Dreamworks Animation in 2012

Mr. Franco Dragone is building an entertainment group with a recognized global brand name for creating and producing the world's spectacular live shows. In order to do this, the Company plans to open at least one long run spectacular live show, either permanent or touring, per year.