What’s that smell at Red Rock?

No, it’s not the ethical stench of the Station Casinos‘ LBO/bankruptcy/reorganization process. It’s the hazmat situation brought on by the careless handling of chemicals. Chlorine was pumped into an acid tank, causing respiratory irritation, a few hospitalizations — a no doubt a couple of personal-injury lawsuits. Good going, Station.

Speaking of lawsuits, one just hit the Cosmopolitan. A handful of condo buyers allege that their units are being cannibalized for hotel rooms. Nothing doing, says Cosmo management.

Watch out, Macao. Better commissions for VIP junket operators are likely to result in an increase of Singapore visitation by travelers from China (who already comprise 17% of the Singaporean tourist base, if one includes Taiwan). Protestations by Las Vegas Sands to the contrary, it may indeed find itself siphoning off some its Macao business to ramp up Marina Bay Sands. In fact, a spokesman for the latter says, “With its growing middle class population, China is an attractive market for us. We consciously cater to the needs of Chinese guests.”That’s not an inherent policy contradiction because …

The city-state also provides a welcome haven for Mainland gamblers who chafe at visa restrictions to Macao, as well as for governmental officials who are prohibited — sometimes with good reason — from placing bets in Macanese casinos. China Daily provides a helpful pair of pie charts which draw a huge and striking contrast between the tourist makeup of Macao and Singapore. The latter’s is far more diverse (ergo, more stable), drawing from all over the Eastern Hemisphere, as well as a goodly portion of the West.

Once Chinese, Taiwanese and Hong Kong visitors are subtracted from the Macao tourist mix, you’re left with 12% from the rest of the Pacific Rim, with perhaps a few Occidentals somewhere in there. The notion that one could simply superimpose the Las Vegas business model upon Macao and — voila! — have an international tourist magnet may not be mistaken but it still hasn’t been validated, either. (Moral: You can’t do in six years that which it took the Strip 60 to accomplish.)