LAS VEGAS (AP) - Las Vegas Sands Corp. is vowing to appeal a
Macau court ruling barring the American casino giant from running a
ferry service to the southern Chinese gambling city.

Sands says in a statement that it'll file an appeal in the
Macau's Court of Final Appeal by next week.

Its CotaiJet ferry service will keep shuttling visitors from
Hong Kong to Macau -- and Sands' popular Venetian casino-resort --
until the matter is resolved.

The Macau court last week voided a CotaiJet contract, saying the
government unlawfully granted a license without an open tender. The
ruling came in a lawsuit filed by rival ferry operator.

Las Vegas-based Sands is controlled by gambling tycoon Sheldon
Adelson. It owns the Venetian and Palazzo resorts on the Las Vegas
Strip.

The economic downturn has already led the company to suspended
construction at two Macau sites.

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