S'pore's readies for Marina Bay launch

WITH Singapore targeting to attract 17 million tourists by 2015, the city-state is improving offerings that will entice both domestic and international tourists.

After sprucing up Singapore's main shopping and entertainment hub, Orchard Road, in the middle of the year, the city-state is readying for the launch of the Marina Bay Sands targeted to be Southeast Asia's first and leading Integrated Resort next year.

"Marina Bay Sands will open in the first quarter of 2010. With about 1,000 hotel rooms, most of the Sands Expo and Convention Centre, a wide variety of restaurants, half of the retail shops, as well as the casino will open in the first phase. The rest of the attractions will open progressively throughout the year," said a company spokesperson.

The Marina Bay Sands developer is putting several facilities under one roof, including world-class convention and exhibition facilities, on more than 120,000 square metres of space. The project also includes a luxury hotel with three 55-storey towers and 2,500 rooms, a museum in the shape of a lotus flower that also resembles welcoming hands, world-class theatres, entertainment, shopping and dining.

With the development of the convention and exhibition facilities, it is expected that hundreds of thousands of meeting and convention visitors will come to Singapore from 2010. The venue has flexible convention and exhibition space capable of hosting 2,000 exhibition booths, 250 meeting rooms and over 45,000 delegates. It will feature a 8,000-square metre grand ballroom which can seat at least 6,600 guests for a banquet and up to 11,000 for an auditorium-style event.

"Marina Bay Sands will be the region's first premier integrated entertainment destination and will be one of the largest and most flexible exhibition and convention locations," said a company statement.

The project will also be home to top brands, with 75,000 square metres allotted for retail and dining space under the Marina Bay Sands Shoppes, including dining places. "It will offer a fantastic shopping experience with a refreshing mix of cutting-edge emerging labels and international luxury brands."

The venue will also have space for the performing arts with two fully-equipped state-of-the-art theatres that seat 4,000. The theatres are envisioned to showcase acclaimed Broadway musicals, Bollywood extravaganzas, live concerts as well as gala events.

The tourist attractions do not stop there. The Marina Bay Sands' towers will have a 12,400-square metre rooftop called Sands SkyPark, which will be 200m above ground.

The SkyPark will have 250 trees and 650 plants, with some reaching up to 8m.

"It will offer 360-degree views of Singapore's skyline and be a tropical oasis in the sky with beautifully sculptured gardens, restaurants and three linked swimming pools."

The structure of the Sands SkyPark will be lifted from the ground to the 200m high rooftop in parts.

The resort is being developed by Marina Bay Sands Pte Ltd, a subsidiary of Las Vegas Sands Corp, Asia's leading developer of premium integrated resorts. The firm is also a leader in the Meetings, Incentives, Conventions, Exhibitions industry in the US.

The Las Vegas Sands Corp owns and operates, among others the Venetian Casino Resort, The Palazzo and the Sands Expo in Las Vegas and Sands Macao Hotel in Macao, China.

This year, Singapore decided to leave its tourism receipt target of S$12 billion to S$12.5 billion unchanged despite the global economic crisis and the outbreak of Influenza A (H1N1).

Similarly, tourist arrival target is at nine million to 9.5 million.

The Brunei Times