Harrah’s top executive in Asia departs

Harrah’s Entertainment’s top executive in Asia left the company last week, leading some to wonder if the casino operator has given up on its hopes to operate a casino in Macau.

Michael Chen left his position as Harrah’s Asia operations president and started a yearlong sabbatical last Friday.

“I was offered a position in Las Vegas at Harrah’s which is great but I need some time off and they agreed to it,” Chen told Macau Business newsletter at a conference in Singapore.

Chen was responsible for developing of Harrah’s business in Asia.

But the company hasn’t been successful in gaining a foothold in Asia.

Harrah’s lost out on a bid for one of two Singapore casinos in 2006. Harrah’s spent $577.7 million in 2007 to buy a 175-acre golf course in Macau near the Cotai Strip. The company hoped to place a Caesars-branded casino on the site but Macau decided not to grant any more gaming concessions.

Prior to his position in Asia, Chen was a corporate director and executive associate to Harrah’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Gary Loveman.