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Organization and Business of Company
 6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2011
Organization and Business of Company [Abstract]  
ORGANIZATION AND BUSINESS OF COMPANY
NOTE 1 — ORGANIZATION AND BUSINESS OF COMPANY
The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in the Annual Report on Form 10-K of Las Vegas Sands Corp. (“LVSC”), a Nevada corporation, and its subsidiaries (collectively the “Company”) for the year ended December 31, 2010. The year-end balance sheet data was derived from audited financial statements, but does not include all disclosures required by generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America. In the opinion of management, all adjustments and normal recurring accruals considered necessary for a fair statement of the results for the interim period have been included. The interim results reflected in the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements are not necessarily indicative of expected results for the full year. The Company’s common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “LVS.”
In November 2009, the Company’s subsidiary, Sands China Ltd. (“SCL,” the indirect owner and operator of the majority of the Company’s operations in the Macau Special Administrative Region (“Macau”) of the People’s Republic of China), completed an initial public offering by listing its ordinary shares (the “SCL Offering”) on The Main Board of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (“SEHK”). Immediately following the SCL Offering and several transactions consummated in connection with such offering, the Company owned 70.3% of the issued and outstanding ordinary shares of SCL. The shares of SCL were not, and will not, be registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold in the U.S. absent a registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or an applicable exception from such registration requirements.
Operations
United States
Las Vegas
The Company owns and operates The Venetian Resort Hotel Casino (“The Venetian Las Vegas”), a Renaissance Venice-themed resort; The Palazzo Resort Hotel Casino (“The Palazzo”), a resort featuring modern European ambience and design; and an expo and convention center of approximately 1.2 million square feet (the “Sands Expo Center”). These Las Vegas properties, situated on or near the Las Vegas Strip, form an integrated resort with approximately 7,100 suites; approximately 225,000 square feet of gaming space; a meeting and conference facility of approximately 1.1 million square feet; an enclosed retail, dining and entertainment complex located within The Venetian Las Vegas of approximately 440,000 net leasable square feet (“The Grand Canal Shoppes”), which was sold to GGP Limited Partnership (“GGP”) in 2004; and an enclosed retail and dining complex located within The Palazzo of approximately 400,000 net leasable square feet (“The Shoppes at The Palazzo”), which was sold to GGP in February 2008. See “— Note 2 — Property and Equipment, Net” regarding the sale of The Shoppes at The Palazzo.
Pennsylvania
In May 2009, the Company partially opened Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem (the “Sands Bethlehem”), a gaming, hotel, retail and dining complex located on the site of the historic Bethlehem Steel Works in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. The Sands Bethlehem currently features approximately 152,000 square feet of gaming space, which include table games operations that commenced in July 2010, a 300-room hotel tower, which opened in May 2011, an arts and cultural center, and the broadcast home of the local PBS affiliate. The Company has initiated construction activities on the remaining components of the integrated resort, which include an approximate 200,000-square-foot retail facility and a 50,000-square-foot multipurpose event center. Sands Bethlehem is also expected to be home to the National Museum of Industrial History. The Company owns 86% of the economic interest of the gaming, hotel and entertainment portion of the property through its ownership interest in Sands Bethworks Gaming LLC and more than 35% of the economic interest of the retail portion of the property through its ownership interest in Sands Bethworks Retail LLC. As of June 30, 2011, the Company has capitalized construction costs of $686.8 million for this project (including $8.8 million in outstanding construction payables). The Company expects to spend approximately $40 million to complete construction of the project, on furniture, fixtures and equipment (“FF&E”) and other costs, and to pay outstanding construction payables, as noted above.
Macau
The Company currently owns 70.3% of SCL, which includes the operations of the Sands Macao, The Venetian Macao, Four Seasons Macao and other ancillary operations that support these properties, as further discussed below. The Company operates the gaming areas within these properties pursuant to a 20-year gaming subconcession.
The Company owns and operates the Sands Macao, the first Las Vegas-style casino in Macau. The Sands Macao offers approximately 197,000 square feet of gaming space and a 289-suite hotel tower, as well as several restaurants, VIP facilities, a theater and other high-end services and amenities.
The Company also owns and operates The Venetian Macao Resort Hotel (“The Venetian Macao”), which anchors the Cotai Striptm, the Company’s master-planned development of integrated resort properties in Macau. With a theme similar to that of The Venetian Las Vegas, The Venetian Macao includes a 39-floor luxury hotel with over 2,900 suites; approximately 550,000 square feet of gaming space; a 15,000-seat arena; an 1,800-seat theater; retail and dining space of approximately 1.0 million square feet; and a convention center and meeting room complex of approximately 1.2 million square feet.
The Company owns the Four Seasons Hotel Macao, Cotai Striptm (the “Four Seasons Hotel Macao”), which features 360 rooms and suites managed and operated by Four Seasons Hotels Inc. and is located adjacent and connected to The Venetian Macao. Connected to the Four Seasons Hotel Macao, the Company owns and operates the Plaza Casino (together with the Four Seasons Hotel Macao, the “Four Seasons Macao”), which features approximately 70,000 square feet of gaming space; 19 Paiza mansions; retail space of approximately 211,000 square feet, which is connected to the mall at The Venetian Macao; several food and beverage offerings; and conference, banquet and other facilities. This integrated resort will also feature the Four Seasons Apartment Hotel Macao, Cotai Striptm (the “Four Seasons Apartments”), an apart-hotel tower that consists of approximately 1.0 million square feet of Four Seasons-serviced and -branded luxury apart-hotel units and common areas. The Company has completed the structural work of the tower and expects to subsequently monetize units within the Four Seasons Apartments subject to market conditions and obtaining the necessary government approvals. As of June 30, 2011, the Company has capitalized $1.16 billion for the property, including the land premium and $15.3 million in outstanding construction payables. The Company expects to spend approximately $110 million primarily on additional costs to complete the Four Seasons Apartments, including FF&E and pre-opening costs, and to pay outstanding construction payables, as noted above.
Singapore
The Company owns and operates the Marina Bay Sands in Singapore, which partially opened on April 27, 2010, with additional portions opened progressively throughout 2010. The Marina Bay Sands features three 55-story hotel towers (totaling approximately 2,600 rooms and suites), the Sands SkyParktm (which sits atop the hotel towers and features an infinity swimming pool and several dining options), approximately 160,000 square feet of gaming space, an enclosed retail, dining and entertainment complex of approximately 800,000 net leasable square feet, a convention center and meeting room complex of approximately 1.3 million square feet and theaters. In February 2011, the Marina Bay Sands opened a landmark iconic structure at the bay-front promenade that contains an art/science museum. As of June 30, 2011, the Company has capitalized 7.59 billion Singapore dollars (“SGD,” approximately $6.15 billion at exchange rates in effect on June 30, 2011) in costs for this project, including the land premium and SGD 228.5 million (approximately $185.2 million at exchange rates in effect on June 30, 2011) in outstanding construction payables. The Company expects to spend approximately SGD 590 million (approximately $478 million at exchange rates in effect on June 30, 2011) on additional costs to complete the construction of the integrated resort, FF&E and other costs, and to pay outstanding construction payables, as noted above. As the Company has obtained Singapore-denominated financing and primarily pays its costs in Singapore dollars, its exposure to foreign exchange gains and losses is expected to be minimal.
Development Projects
The Company has suspended portions of its development projects to focus its efforts on those projects with the highest expected rates of return on invested capital. Should general economic conditions fail to improve, if the Company is unable to obtain sufficient funding or applicable government approvals such that completion of its suspended projects is not probable, or should management decide to abandon certain projects, all or a portion of the Company’s investment to date on its suspended projects could be lost and would result in an impairment charge. In addition, the Company may be subject to penalties under the termination clauses in its construction contracts or termination rights under its management contracts with certain hotel management companies.
United States
The Company was constructing a high-rise residential condominium tower (the “Las Vegas Condo Tower”), located on the Las Vegas Strip between The Palazzo and The Venetian Las Vegas. The Company suspended construction activities for the project due to reduced demand for Las Vegas Strip condominiums and the overall decline in general economic conditions. The Company intends to recommence construction when demand and conditions improve and expects that it will take approximately 18 months thereafter to complete construction of the project. As of June 30, 2011, the Company has capitalized construction costs of $177.7 million for this project. The impact of the suspension on the estimated overall cost of the project is currently not determinable with certainty.
Macau
The Company submitted plans to the Macau government for its other Cotai Strip developments, which represent three integrated resort developments, in addition to The Venetian Macao and Four Seasons Macao, on an area of approximately 200 acres (which are referred to as Sands Cotai Central (formerly referred to as parcels 5 and 6) and parcels 3 and 7 and 8). Subject to the approval from the Macau government, as discussed further below, the developments are expected to include hotels, exhibition and conference facilities, gaming areas, showrooms, shopping malls, spas, restaurants, entertainment facilities and other amenities. The Company had commenced construction or pre-construction activities on these developments and plans to operate the related gaming areas under the Company’s Macau gaming subconcession.
The Company is staging the construction of its Sands Cotai Central integrated resort development. Upon completion of phases I and II of the project, the integrated resort is expected to feature approximately 5,800 hotel rooms, approximately 300,000 square feet of gaming space, approximately 1.2 million square feet of retail, entertainment and dining facilities, exhibition and conference facilities and a multipurpose theater. Phase I of the project is expected to include two hotel towers, one of which will be managed by Sheraton International Inc. and Sheraton Overseas Management Co. (collectively “Starwood”) under its Sheraton brand, as well as completion of the structural work of an adjacent hotel tower to be managed by Starwood under its Sheraton Towers brand. The second hotel tower was to be managed by Shangri-La International Hotel Management Limited (“Shangri-La”); however, in March 2011, the Company and Shangri-La mutually agreed to terminate the hotel management agreement. This second tower will now be managed by Hilton Worldwide and InterContinental Hotels Group under their Conrad and Holiday Inn brands, respectively. The Company’s anticipated opening of phase I will be on a progressive schedule starting in the first quarter of 2012 with the opening of parcel 5, which will feature 600 five-star rooms and suites under the Conrad brand along with 1,200 four-star rooms and suites under the Holiday Inn brand. Parcel 5 will also open with a variety of retail offerings, more than 300,000 square feet of meeting space, several food and beverage establishments along with the 106,000 square foot casino and VIP gaming areas. Phase I also includes the opening of the first hotel tower on parcel 6, which will feature nearly 2,000 Sheraton-branded rooms, along with the second casino and the remaining dining, entertainment, retail and meeting facilities, and is currently scheduled to open in the third quarter of 2012. Phase II of the project consisting of the second hotel tower on parcel 6, which will feature an additional 2,000 rooms and suites under the Sheraton Towers brand, is projected to open in early 2013. The total cost to complete phases I and II is expected to be approximately $1.9 billion. Phase III of the project is expected to include a fourth hotel and mixed-use tower to be managed by Starwood under its St. Regis brand and the total cost is expected to be approximately $450 million. The Company has recommenced construction activities and is currently working with the Macau government to obtain sufficient construction labor for the project. The Company intends to commence construction of phase III of the project as demand and market conditions warrant it. As of June 30, 2011, the Company has capitalized costs of $2.48 billion for the entire project, including the land premium and $164.9 million in outstanding construction payables. The Company’s management agreement with Starwood imposes certain construction deadlines and opening obligations on the Company and certain past and/or anticipated delays, as described above, would allow Starwood to terminate its agreement. See “— Note 9 — Commitments and Contingencies — Other Agreements.” The Company is currently negotiating an amendment to the management agreement with Starwood to provide for new opening timelines.
The Company had commenced pre-construction activities on parcels 7 and 8 and 3, and has capitalized costs of $102.1 million for parcels 7 and 8 and $96.9 million for parcel 3 (including the land premium) as of June 30, 2011. The Company intends to commence construction after Sands Cotai Central is complete, necessary government approvals are obtained (including the land concession, see below), regional and global economic conditions improve, future demand warrants it and additional financing is obtained.
The impact of the delayed construction on the Company’s previously estimated cost to complete its Cotai Strip developments is currently not determinable. As of June 30, 2011, the Company has capitalized an aggregate of $6.87 billion in construction costs and land premiums for its Cotai Strip developments, including The Venetian Macao and Four Seasons Macao, as well as the Company’s investments in transportation infrastructure, including its passenger ferry service operations. In addition to funding phases I and II of Sands Cotai Central with the $1.75 billion VOL credit facility, the Company will need to arrange additional financing to fund the balance of its Cotai Strip developments and there is no assurance that the Company will be able to obtain any of the additional financing required.
Land concessions in Macau generally have an initial term of 25 years with automatic extensions of 10 years thereafter in accordance with Macau law. The Company has received land concessions from the Macau government to build on parcels 1, 2, 3 and 5 and 6, including the sites on which The Venetian Macao (parcel 1), the Four Seasons Macao (parcel 2) and Sands Cotai Central (parcels 5 and 6) are located. The Company does not own these land sites in Macau; however, the land concessions grant the Company exclusive use of the land. As specified in the land concessions, the Company is required to pay premiums for each parcel, which are either payable in a single lump sum upon acceptance of the land concessions by the Macau government or in seven semi-annual installments (provided that the outstanding balance is due upon the completion of the corresponding integrated resort), as well as annual rent for the term of the land concessions. During December 2010, the Company received notice from the Macau government that its application for a land concession for parcels 7 and 8 was not approved and the Company applied to the Chief Executive of Macau for a review of the decision. In January 2011, the Company filed an appeal with the Court of Second Instance in Macau, which has yet to issue a decision. Should the Company win its appeal, it is still possible for the Chief Executive of Macau to again deny the land concession based upon public policy considerations. If the Company does not obtain the land concession or does not receive full reimbursement of its capitalized investment in this project, the Company would record a charge for all or some portion of the $102.1 million in capitalized construction costs, as of June 30, 2011, related to its development on parcels 7 and 8.
Under the Company’s land concession for parcel 3, the Company was initially required to complete the corresponding development by August 2011. The Macau government has granted the Company a two-year extension to complete the development of parcel 3, which now must be completed by April 2013. The land concession for Sands Cotai Central contains a similar requirement that the corresponding development be completed by May 2014. The Company believes that if it is not able to complete the developments by the respective deadlines, it will likely be able to obtain extensions from the Macau government; however, no assurances can be given that additional extensions will be granted. If the Company is unable to meet the applicable deadlines and those deadlines are not extended, it could lose its land concessions for parcel 3 or Sands Cotai Central, which would prohibit the Company from operating any facilities developed under the respective land concessions. As a result, the Company could record a charge for all or some portion of its $96.9 million and $2.48 billion in capitalized construction costs and land premiums, as of June 30, 2011, related to its developments on parcel 3 or Sands Cotai Central, respectively.
Other
When the current economic environment and access to capital improve, the Company may continue exploring the possibility of developing and operating additional properties, including integrated resorts, in additional Asian and U.S. jurisdictions, and in Europe.
Development Financing Strategy
Through June 30, 2011, the Company has funded its development projects primarily through borrowings under its U.S., Macau and Singapore credit facilities, operating cash flows, proceeds from its equity offerings and proceeds from the disposition of non-core assets.
The U.S. credit facility, as amended in August 2010, requires the Company’s Las Vegas operations to comply with certain financial covenants at the end of each quarter, including maintaining a maximum leverage ratio of net debt, as defined, to trailing twelve-month adjusted earnings before interest, income taxes, depreciation and amortization, as defined (“Adjusted EBITDA”). The maximum leverage ratio is 6.5x for the quarter ended June 30, 2011, decreases to 6.0x for the quarterly periods ended September 30 and December 31, 2011, decreases to 5.5x for the quarterly periods ended March 31 and June 30, 2012, and then decreases to 5.0x for all quarterly periods thereafter through maturity. One of the Company’s Macau credit facilities, the VML credit facility, as amended in August 2009, requires certain of the Company’s Macau operations to comply with similar financial covenants, including maintaining a maximum leverage ratio of debt to Adjusted EBITDA. The maximum leverage ratio is 3.0x for the quarterly periods through maturity. The Company can elect to contribute up to $50 million and $20 million of cash on hand to its Las Vegas and relevant Macau operations, respectively, on a bi-quarterly basis; such contributions having the effect of increasing Adjusted EBITDA by the corresponding amount during the applicable quarter for purposes of calculating compliance with the maximum leverage ratio (the “EBITDA true-up”). The Singapore credit facility requires operations of Marina Bay Sands to comply with similar financial covenants commencing with the quarterly period ending September 30, 2011, including maintaining a maximum leverage ratio of debt to Adjusted EBITDA. The maximum leverage ratio is 5.5x for the quarterly period ending September 30, 2011, and then decreases by 0.25x every other quarter until it decreases to, and remains at, 3.75x for all quarterly periods thereafter through maturity (commencing with the quarterly period ending September 30, 2014). If the Company is unable to maintain compliance with the financial covenants under these credit facilities, it would be in default under the respective credit facilities. A default under the U.S. credit facility would trigger a cross-default under the Company’s airplane financings, which, if the respective lenders chose to accelerate the indebtedness outstanding under these agreements, would result in a default under the Company’s senior notes. A default under the VML credit facility would trigger a cross-default under the Company’s ferry financing. Any defaults or cross-defaults under these agreements would allow the lenders, in each case, to exercise their rights and remedies as defined under their respective agreements. If the lenders were to exercise their rights to accelerate the due dates of the indebtedness outstanding, there can be no assurance that the Company would be able to repay or refinance any amounts that may become due and payable under such agreements, which could force the Company to restructure or alter its operations or debt obligations.
In 2008, the Company completed a $475.0 million convertible senior notes offering and a $2.1 billion common and preferred stock and warrants offering. In 2009, the Company completed a $600.0 million exchangeable bond offering and its $2.5 billion SCL Offering. A portion of the proceeds from these offerings was used in the U.S. to pay down $775.9 million under the revolving portion of the U.S. credit facility in March 2010 and $1.0 billion under the term loan portions of the U.S. credit facility in August 2010, and to exercise the EBITDA true-up provision during the quarterly periods ended September 30, 2010 and March 31, 2011.
The Company held unrestricted and restricted cash and cash equivalents of approximately $3.48 billion and $443.8 million, respectively, as of June 30, 2011. The Company believes the cash on hand, cash flow generated from operations and available borrowings under its credit facilities will be sufficient to fund its developments currently under construction and maintain compliance with the financial covenants of its U.S., Macau and Singapore credit facilities. In the normal course of its activities, the Company will continue to evaluate its capital structure and opportunities for enhancements thereof. The Company has recommenced construction activities at Sands Cotai Central using the proceeds from the $1.75 billion VOL credit facility together with $500.0 million of proceeds from the SCL Offering.
The Company is currently in the process of refinancing its VML and VOL credit facilities. The Company has received lender commitments for $3.7 billion and will have the option to raise incremental senior secured and unsecured debt under existing baskets within the new credit facility. See “— Note 3 — Long-Term Debt” for further disclosure.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements
In January 2010, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued authoritative guidance for fair value measurements, which requires new disclosures regarding significant transfers in and out of Level 1 and 2 fair value measurements and gross presentation of activity within the reconciliation for Level 3 fair value measurements. The guidance also clarifies existing requirements on the level of disaggregation and required disclosures regarding inputs and valuation techniques for both recurring and nonrecurring Level 2 and 3 fair value measurements. The guidance is effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2009, with the exception of gross presentation of Level 3 activity, which is effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2010. The adoption of this guidance did not have a material effect on the Company’s financial condition, results of operations or cash flows. See “— Note 8 — Fair Value Measurements” for the required disclosure.
In June 2011, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued authoritative guidance that amends the presentation of comprehensive income in the financial statements by requiring an entity to present the total of comprehensive income, the components of net income and the components of other comprehensive income either in a single continuous statement of comprehensive income or in two separate but consecutive statements. The update also eliminates the option to present the components of other comprehensive income as part of the statement of equity. The guidance is effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning on or after December 15, 2011, with early adoption permitted. The adoption of this guidance will not have a material effect on the Company’s financial condition, results of operations or cash flows.