Organization and Business of Company

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2011

Organization and Business of Company [Abstract]

Organization and Business of Company

Note 1 — Organization and Business of Company

Las Vegas Sands Corp. (“LVSC” or together with its subsidiaries, the “Company”) is incorporated in Nevada and its 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 direct or indirect owner and operator of the majority of the Company’s operations in the Macao Special Administrative Region (“Macao”) 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 (see “— Note 10 — Equity — Noncontrolling Interests”), the Company owned 70.3% of 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

Macao

The Company currently owns 70.3% of SCL, which includes the operations of The Venetian Macao, Four Seasons Macao, Sands Macao, Sands Cotai Central, when opened, 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 Venetian Macao Resort Hotel (“The Venetian Macao”), which anchors the Cotai Strip, the Company’s master-planned development of integrated resort properties in Macao. The Venetian Macao includes a 39-floor luxury hotel with over 2,900 suites; approximately 534,000 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 Strip (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 91,000 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 Strip (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.

The Company owns and operates the Sands Macao, the first Las Vegas-style casino in Macao. 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.

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 SkyPark (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 1.2 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.

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; and enclosed retail, dining and entertainment complexes located within The Venetian Las Vegas (“The Grand Canal Shoppes”) and The Palazzo (“The Shoppes at The Palazzo”), both of which were sold to GGP Limited Partnership (“GGP”, see “— Note 13 — Mall Sales”).

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. 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; a 150,000-square-foot retail facility, with a progressive opening that began in November 2011; an arts and cultural center; and is the broadcast home of the local PBS affiliate. The Company has initiated construction activities on the remaining components of the integrated resort, which includes a 50,000-square-foot multipurpose event center (expected to open in the second quarter of 2012). Sands Bethlehem is also expected to be home to the National Museum of Industrial History. The Company owns 86% of the economic interest in 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 in the retail portion of the property through its ownership interest in Sands Bethworks Retail LLC.

Development Projects

The Company has suspended portions of its development projects and 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.

Macao

The Company submitted plans to the Macao 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 parcels 5 and 6) and parcels 3 and 7 and 8). Subject to the approval from the Macao government, as discussed further below, the developments are expected to include hotels, exhibition and conference facilities, gaming areas, showrooms, spas, dining, retail and 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 Macao gaming subconcession. In addition, the Company is completing the development of some public areas surrounding its Cotai Strip properties on behalf of the Macao government. The Company currently intends to develop its other Cotai Strip properties as follows:

• Sands Cotai Central — The Company is staging the construction of its Sands Cotai Central integrated resort. Upon completion of phases I and II of the project, the integrated resort will feature approximately 5,800 hotel rooms, approximately 300,000 square feet of gaming space, approximately 1.2 million square feet of retail, entertainment, dining and exhibition and conference facilities, and a multipurpose theater. Phase I, which is currently expected to open in April 2012, consists of a hotel tower on parcel 5 to be managed by Hilton Worldwide, which will include 600 five-star rooms and suites under the Conrad brand, and InterContinental Hotels Group, which will include 1,200 four-star rooms and suites under the Holiday Inn brand. Phase I also includes completion of the structural work of an adjacent hotel tower, located on parcel 6, to be managed by Sheraton International Inc. and Sheraton Overseas Management Co. (collectively “Starwood”) under the Sheraton Towers brand, 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 IIA, which is currently scheduled to open in the third quarter of 2012, 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 retail, entertainment, dining and meeting facilities. Phase IIB, which is projected to open in the first quarter of 2013, consists of the second hotel tower on parcel 6 and will feature an additional 2,000 rooms and suites under the Sheraton Towers brand. The total cost to complete phases I and II is expected to be approximately $1.6 billion. Phase III of the project is expected to include a fourth hotel and mixed-use tower, located on parcel 5, to be managed by Starwood under the St. Regis brand and the total cost to complete is expected to be approximately $450 million. The Company intends to commence construction of phase III of the project as demand and market conditions warrant it. As of December 31, 2011, the Company has capitalized costs of $3.06 billion for the entire project, including the land premium (net of amortization) and $213.7 million in outstanding construction payables. The Company’s management agreement with Starwood imposed certain construction deadlines and opening obligations on the Company and certain past and/or anticipated delays, as described above, would have allowed Starwood to terminate its agreement. In November 2011, the Company amended its management agreement with Starwood to, among other things, provide for new construction and opening obligations and deadlines. See “ Note 14 — Commitments and Contingencies — Other Ventures and Commitments.”

• Parcel 3 — Once completed, the integrated resort on parcel 3 will be connected to The Venetian Macao and Four Seasons Macao. The multi-hotel complex is intended to include a gaming area, a shopping mall and serviced luxury apart-hotel units. The Company had commenced pre-construction activities and has capitalized costs of $96.0 million, including the land premium (net of amortization), as of December 31, 2011. The Company intends to commence construction after Sands Cotai Central is complete and necessary government approvals are obtained.

• Parcels 7 and 8 — Consistent with its original plans, the Company had commenced pre-construction activities and has capitalized construction costs of $101.1 million as of December 31, 2011. The Company intended to commence construction after Sands Cotai Central and the integrated resort on parcel 3 were completed, necessary government approvals obtained (including the land concession, see below), future demand warrants it and additional financing is obtained. If the Company is successful in winning its judicial appeal and obtaining the land concession for parcels 7 and 8 (as discussed below), and are able to proceed with this portion of the development as planned, the related integrated resort is expected to be similar in size and scope to Sands Cotai Central.

The impact of the delayed construction on the Company’s previously estimated cost to complete its Cotai Strip developments on parcels 3 and 7 and 8 is currently not determinable with certainty. As of December 31, 2011, the Company has capitalized an aggregate of $7.49 billion in construction costs and land premiums (net of amortization) for its Cotai Strip developments, including The Venetian Macao, Four Seasons Macao and Sands Cotai Central, 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 borrowings under the Company’s new $3.7 billion Macao credit facility entered into in September 2011 (the “2011 VML Credit Facility,” see “— Note 9 — Long-Term Debt — Macao Related Debt — 2011 VML 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 the additional financing required or on terms suitable to the Company.

Land concessions in Macao generally have an initial term of 25 years with automatic extensions of 10 years thereafter in accordance with Macao law. The Company has received land concessions from the Macao government to build on parcels 1, 2, 3 and 5 and 6, including the sites on which The Venetian Macao (parcel 1), Four Seasons Macao (parcel 2) and Sands Cotai Central (parcels 5 and 6) are located. The Company does not own these land sites in Macao; 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 Macao government or in seven semi-annual installments, as well as annual rent for the term of the land concessions. In December 2010, the Company received notice from the Macao 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 Macao for an executive review of the decision. In January 2011, the Company filed a judicial appeal with the Court of Second Instance in Macao, which has yet to issue a decision. Should the Company win its judicial appeal, it is still possible for the Chief Executive of Macao 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 $101.1 million in capitalized construction costs, as of December 31, 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 Macao 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 intends to apply for an extension from the Macao government to complete its parcel 3 development as it will be unable to meet the April 2013 deadline. Should the Company determine that it is unable to complete Sands Cotai Central by May 2014, the Company also intends to apply for an extension from the Macao government. No assurances can be given that additional extensions will be granted. If the Company is unable to meet the applicable deadline for Sands Cotai Central and the deadlines for either development 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 $96.0 million and $3.06 billion in capitalized construction costs and land premiums (net of amortization), as of December 31, 2011, related to its development on parcel 3 or Sands Cotai Central, respectively.

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. As of December 31, 2011, the Company has capitalized construction costs of $178.3 million for this project. The impact of the suspension on the estimated overall cost of the project is currently not determinable with certainty.

Other

The Company continues to aggressively pursue a variety of new development opportunities around the world.

Development Financing Strategy

Through December 31, 2011, the Company has funded its development projects primarily through borrowings under its U.S., Macao 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 6.0x for the quarterly period ended 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. The Company can elect to contribute up to $50 million of cash on hand to its Las Vegas operations on a bi-quarterly basis; such contributions having the effect of increasing Adjusted EBITDA 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, which commenced with the quarterly period ended 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 ended December 31, 2011, decreases to 5.25x for the quarterly period ended March 31, 2012, and then decreases by 0.25x every other quarter until September 30, 2014, when it decreases to, and remains at, 3.75x for all quarterly periods thereafter through maturity. The Company’s 2011 VML Credit Facility, entered into in September 2011, will also require the Company’s Macao operations to comply with similar financial covenants commencing with the quarterly period ended March 31, 2012, including maintaining a maximum leverage ratio of debt to Adjusted EBITDA. The maximum leverage ratio will be 4.5x for the quarterly periods ended March 31, 2012 through June 30, 2013, decreases to 4.0x for the quarterly periods ended September 30, 2013 through December 31, 2014, decreases to 3.5x for the quarterly periods ended March 31 through December 31, 2015, and then decreases to, and remains at, 3.0x for all quarterly periods thereafter through maturity. 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. Certain defaults under the 2011 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 period ended March 31, 2011.

The Company held unrestricted and restricted cash and cash equivalents of approximately $3.90 billion and $7.1 million, respectively, as of December 31, 2011. The Company believes that the cash on hand, cash flow generated from operations and available borrowings under its credit facilities will be sufficient to fund its development projects currently under construction and maintain compliance with the financial covenants of its U.S., Macao 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. In November 2011, the Company completed its $3.7 billion 2011 VML Credit Facility, which was used to repay the outstanding indebtedness under the VML and VOL credit facilities, as well as to continue to fund the development, construction and completion of certain components of Sands Cotai Central. See “— Note 9 — Long-Term Debt — Macao Related Debt — 2011 VML Credit Facility” for further disclosure.