A Las Vegas company that recently opened a casino in Macau proposed a resort development on a nearby Chinese island, but without any casinos because they are illegal in the mainland.

Las Vegas tycoon plans resort hotel-casino on Chinese island

A Las Vegas company that recently opened a casino in Macau proposed a resort development on a nearby Chinese island, but without any casinos because they are illegal in the mainland, forbes.com reported.

Las Vegas Sands has plans to develop parts of Hengqin Island, which is mainland Chinese territory connected by a bridge to Macau's Taipa Island, company president William Weidner said.

Weidner said his company had submitted a proposal to the government in Zhuhai, the mainland city just across from Macau that is in charge of Hengqin Island.

Macau's Media have reported here that Las Vegas Sands wants to invest 3 billion Hong Kong dollars ($385 million) to develop three resorts, including hotels and a convention center, on the mainland island.

The reports said the company told Zhuhai officials that it wants to expand its operations onto the mainland island because Macau is small with little extra land available.

Las Vegas Sands, run by Las Vegas tycoon Sheldon Adelson, recently ended a four-decade monopoly on Macau's lucrative gambling industry by opening the first Las-Vegas style casino in the enclave in May.

Before that, Macau's crucial gaming industry was a monopoly run for more than four decades by Hong Kong tycoon Stanley Ho.

Now, Las Vegas Sands is working on the construction of The Venetian Macau, a luxury resort hotel-casino similar to its flagship property, The Venetian in Las Vegas, which recreates the fabled Italian city with replica canals full of singing gondoliers.

Macau, located 40 miles west of Hong Kong, attracts thousands of Hong Kong and Chinese gamblers who have no casinos at home. The former Portuguese colony was returned to Chinese sovereignty in 1999.