Adelson ties said to ease Macao bid

Indeed, trial testimony suggested that Macao officials twice went out of their way to rescue the Sands bid from near certain failure: When it became clear that the company's proposed financing partner, a bank with close connections to Taiwan's ruling Kuomintang Party, would be unacceptable to the Chinese regime, Macao's top administrative officer personally "married" Sands to a more palatable partner -- a hotel company owned by a wealthy Hong Kong family. When that alliance broke down, the authorities intervened again by offering Sands a separate concession.

In the end, for one of the coveted concessions, Sands beat out two American bidders with greater experience running casinos -- MGM Mirage and a joint venture of Mandalay Bay Resorts (since acquired by MGM Mirage) and Park Place Entertainment. The others went to Stanley Ho, then the established Macao gaming magnate; Wynn Resorts; and Galaxy Entertainment, Sands' former Hong Kong partner.

Sands executives contend that their proposal for a string of mega-resorts was a perfect fit with Macao's ambitions. They testified that Suen's efforts had nothing to do with their victory and that they kept dealing with him for more than three years because he was a personal friend of Adelson's brother Leonard.

But Suen countered, "We got them the license," he said, "because of my guanxi."

For Adelson, Suen is not the last legal challenge arising from the Macao projects.

Three other middlemen who also claim to have helped arrange the gaming approvals have a separate lawsuit scheduled for trial in Las Vegas state court in December. The Suen verdict "will help us," said their lawyer, Donald Campbell, because it established that go-betweens with the Chinese are entitled to compensation.

Campbell's clients are seeking at least $450 million.

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michael.hiltzik@latimes.com

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ashley.powers@latimes.com