30 March 2006

Las Vegas Sands unveils US$3.6b Singapore integrated resort bid

SINGAPORE: Las Vegas Sands says it will invest US$3.6b if it wins Singapore's first casino licence, building the most expensive development of its kind ever.


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Nevada-based Sands "is proposing to invest 3.6 billion US dollars to develop The Marina Bay Sands, making it possibly the most expensive integrated resort ever proposed," the company said in a statement.

Sands was unveiling details of its bid submitted Wednesday to the Singapore Tourism Board after three other groups filed their proposals for the waterfront Marina Bay site where the "integrated resort" is expected to open in 2009.

Malaysia's Genting International said it would invest more than 3.08 billion US dollars with its minority partner Star Cruises if their bid succeeds.

The other contenders, US gaming giants MGM Mirage and Harrah's, have not revealed the extent of their proposed investments.

MGM Mirage bid with its partner, Singapore and Southeast Asia's biggest property group CapitaLand, while Harrah's, the world's largest gaming operator, has teamed up with prominent local developer Keppel Land.

Sands, which has operations in the southern Chinese enclave of Macau, is submitting a solo bid after local firm City Developments pulled out.

Las Vegas Sands' president and chief operating officer, William Weidner, said his firm is the only US gaming and integrated resort company currently operating in Asia.

"With an extensive existing footprint in China ... LVS will be able to attract tourists to Singapore by leveraging our extensive global customer base and strong relationships with international travel agents and reputable junket operators," Weidner said.

The proposed integrated resort complex will include 2,500 hotel rooms, 1.2 million square feet (108,000 square metres) of convention space and one million square feet (90,000 square metres) for retail shopping, Sands said.

Sands also plans to offer a museum of "cultural and populist exhibits", Broadway musicals, Bollywood entertainment as well as to bring in top celebrity chefs and spa facilities to attract non-gaming visitors.

The "integrated resort" complex refers to the non-gaming facilities accompanying the casino.

"As a catalyst for the economic future of Singapore and a launch pad for its tourism industry, The Marina Bay Sands will help Singapore solidify its standing among the world's greatest destinations," said Sheldon G. Adelson, chairman and chief executive officer of Las Vegas Sands Corp.

A drawing of the proposed project released by Sands shows three halls with curving roofs in front of three towers.

The winning bid is expected to be announced in June.

Singapore last year lifted a ban on casino gambling in order to boost its tourism appeal. - AFP/ir

Copyright © 2006 Agence France Presse. All rights reserved.

http://static.flickr.com/71/211644445_6468276240_o.jpg

More about the project

Architect: Moshe Safdie

Marina Bay Sands is a new type of urban place that integrates the Waterfront Promenade with a grand, multi-leveled retail arcade combining civic space, shopping, indoor and outdoor spaces endowed with city skyline views, daylight and plant life, providing an abundance and variety of activities. It is a place that is vibrant and dynamic, a place that transforms from hour to hour, from day to night, and is evocative of the great urban places. It is here that the imaginings of a global city become a reality. Marina Bay Sands, to be open in 2009, will feature three 50-story hotel towers containing 1,000 rooms each, crowned by a two acre Sky Garden bridging across the towers, offering 360-degree views of the city and the sea, outdoor amenities for the hotel such as jogging paths, swimming pools, spas, and gardens; an iconic Arts and Sciences Museum on the promontory; one-million square feet of integrated waterside promenade and shopping arcade; a state-of-the art one-million square foot convention center; two 2,000-seat theaters; a casino; and a 4,000 car garage.

http://www.msafdie.com/php/print_project.php?id=92

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v133/RafflesCity/mbrender.jpg

Looks like something out of a Seventies sci-fi movie. :cry:

i dunno, i'd like to see a bigger rendering - 70s scifi is actually quite appealing to me :p

actually, i'm beginning to love the sands building

i love moshie safdie but it seems his time irrelevant architecture wouldn't work in this context. the cbd wants to be like a cereal commercial. not too fancy. or deep.

time irrelevant? i think a cbd of 'deep' buildings wouldn't work any less well than a cbd of cereal commercial buildings.

NOW THATS what I called real "SLING"!!! :eek:

That is 70s sci-fi isnt it lol!! Any pics of the other proposals not seen yet?

:omg:

Sands drops 'kampung' for high-tech concept

7 Apr 06

THE Las Vegas Sands' Marina Bay integrated resort was initially planned with the 'kampung' in mind but its new architect Moshe Safdie has changed all that, making it decidedly more 'high-tech' instead.

http://business-times.asia1.com.sg/mnt/media/image/launched/2006-04-07/BT_3836272_06_04_2006.jpg

Revealing details of the Sands proposal - now called The Marina Bay Sands - the renowned US-based architect, who was only brought on board the Sands team about six months ago, confirmed that an earlier 'colonial theme' with sampans and idyllic village scenes has been dropped. Even the previously proposed Guggenheim Museum will be replaced by the 'ArtScience Museum' which may have exhibitions featuring 'robotics' or 'the science of taste', explained Mr Safdie.

Ron Reese, Sands executive director of corporate communications, added: 'The Guggenheim was not a deal that fell apart. It was an evolution of the process from the Request for Concept stage to the Request for Proposal (RFP) stage.'

Explaining the design concept of the museum, Mr Safdie said it was like an 'anchor in the harbour', adding that it had an 'iconic presence'.

Expected to be the first of its kind on this scale in the world, the 200,000 sq ft museum will have about 100,000 sq ft of exhibition space, an 800-seat conference hall with meeting rooms and a rooftop amphitheatre with a capacity for about 1,000 people. The entire project could cost US$3.6 billion.

Mr Safdie said that the programming concepts will be formulated by an appointed programme advisory board from the fields of architecture and design.

He added that the Art-Science Museum could feature collaborations with institutions like The Field Museum of Natural History and The Gallery of Research - Austrian Academy of Science.

He did not rule out working with the Guggenheim Museum.

Mr Safdie said the 1.2 million sq ft convention centre will have two levels of exhibition space, two levels of meeting rooms, and a column-free ballroom. Another key feature of the design is the Sky Park - a 100,000 sq ft aerial platform which links the three towers of the hotel at the roof level 170 m high. The hotel will have about 3,000 rooms.

Las Vegas Sands and Genting International/Star Cruises are the only bidders that have revealed their designs. When asked, Terrence Lanni, chairman and CEO of MGM Mirage, said: 'Out of respect for the RFP process, we've decided to refrain from any further public announcements at this time in order to permit the authorities time to conduct a careful evaluation of each proposal.'

LOL! Can you imagine it, 'Kampung @ Marina Bay' :hilarious

look nice

April 8, 2006
Sands pledges to provide 10,400 jobs in its Marina IR

By Krist Boo

A DAY after it pitched its proposal to a panel of judges, Las Vegas Sands made a public promise to provide 10,400 jobs if it wins the Marina Bay casino licence.

Of those, 75 per cent - including senior positions - would go to locals, the US casino operator said yesterday.

It expects another 10,000 jobs to be created by tenants in its resort, including retailers in a shopping mall slightly bigger than Suntec City.

Sands' employment estimate is double the 5,000 jobs projected for each of the two integrated resorts when they came up for public debate a year ago. Several ministers then conceded they had said aye to the IRs despite their misgivings about gambling because of the promise of new jobs.

In a bid to shore up its chances for the prize, Sands also highlighted a string of promised economic spin-offs if it won.

It said its proposed US$3.6 billion (S$5.8 billion) resort, The Marina Bay Sands, would add 1 per cent to Singapore's 2010 economic output. It was also confident it could fill 75 to 90 per cent of its 2,500 hotel rooms with visitors.

Those rosy targets - which it is hitting in its casinos in Las Vegas and Macau - will attract at least another 700,000 visitors here every year.

Job creation is not among the four criteria the Government said it would use to grade the bids, but one analyst, speaking on condition of anonymity, said: 'If a bidder says I am going to invest US$4 billion, but I am going to employ 10 people, what's the benefit to Singapore?'

The analyst expects another bidder, Genting International, to match Sands' job offer based on its plan to have 5,000 hotel rooms in its resort. The two others, Harrah's Entertainment and MGM Mirage, have kept mum on their hotel and hiring plans.

Sands is anchoring its proposition on its expertise in the conventions and exhibition business. It has included 1.2 million sq ft of convention facilities in its resort plan. Equivalent to the size of two National Stadiums, that would likely be the largest among the contenders.

Yesterday, it said it could bring to Singapore 20 annual exhibitions and more than 350 business meetings a year.

The Government is now considering the four proposals and will announce a winner by mid-year.

Copyright © 2005 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

GREAT FOR ONE OF MY FAV CITIES IN THE WORLD.

Scanned by one of the forumers from the newspaper:

One of the 4 competing proposals:

http://img85.imageshack.us/img85/571/marinair6op.jpg

The design doesn't seem exciting.....but when u go into details, the excitment level goes up......:cool:

Disgusting!!!
reminds me of this building...
http://img108.imageshack.us/img108/8797/elephantbuilding4yb.jpg

EHEH, the nice elephant building!

Looking good;);)

LATEST NEWS :
LAS VEGAS SANDS wins the Marina Bay IR Bid

LATEST NEWS :
LAS VEGAS SANDS wins the Marina Bay IR Bid

Wow....this is really surprising.....:eek:

Not really...in the sense that a lot was reported about it, particularly its convention potential prior to the announcement.

Las Vegas Sands wins bid to build Singapore's first integrated resort

26 May 06

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SINGAPORE : Las Vegas Sands has hit the jackpot by winning the bid to build Singapore's first integrated resort, to be called The Marina Bay Sands.

It staved off fierce competition for the Marina Bay project from three other bidders - Genting International and Star Cruises, Harrah's Entertainment and Keppel Land, and MGM Mirage along with CapitaLand.

The award of the project follows an in-depth two-stage bidding process which started in December 2004 and attracted 19 bids from consortiums in Australia, South Africa and the US.

The integrated resort will be a centrepiece of the Marina Bay landscape come 2009.

At a news conference on Friday, Deputy Prime Minister S Jayakumar said that among the four bidders, Las Vegas Sands had committed the highest development investment of S$3.85 billion.

With the land price and associated capital cost, its total investment will exceed S$5 billion.

Said Prof Jayakumar, "Sands has submitted the best overall proposal that meets our economic tourism objective. In particular, the proposal will significantly strengthen Singapore's position as a leading MICE destination and the proposal also possesses unique design elements that will provide a memorable image for Marina Bay."

Sands, which owns The Venetian on The Strip and Sands Macau, is set to go big on conventions for its Marina project, setting aside enough convention space to host up to 54,000 delegates.

Its offer will also include an ArtScience museum, six signature restaurants with celebrity chefs and two theatres with a seating capacity of 2,000 each.

The operator has also pledged to provide over 10,000 jobs at the Singapore resort, with 75 percent of them going to the locals.

Sands also fulfilled the key criteria such as tourism appeal and architectural concept and design.

Said National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan, "It also has several key attributes which make it stand out from among the proposals. First of all, the overall composition of the proposal fits very well with the existing and the future developments on the Bay.

"It has a unique architecture which provides an exciting addition to the Marina Bay, for example, the hotel towers are set back from the waterfront, it will open up expansive view to the city as well as to the entire Marina Bay. It'll also make the Singapore skyline in the new downtown even more attractive and distinctive."

Sands has support from City Developments, although the local property developer is not taking an equity stake in the project.

In a statement, Las Vegas Sands said it felt "honoured" to have been picked to build and operate Singapore's first integrated resort.

Group president and COO William Weidner said he was looking forward to now partnering the Singapore Government in enhancing the city-state's status as one of the world's great travel destinations.

Mr Weidner said, "We are confident we have the strengths and capabilities to achieve this mandate based on our unique ability to develop successful, iconic Integrated Resorts from the ground up."

The next step will be ramping up its development plans to deliver on its promise of completing the entire project in 2009.

The old thread can be found here (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=205184)

Damn aluring design!! :drool:

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

anyone knows libeskind and KPF's designs?

Las Vegas Sands looks forward to helping S'pore become MICE hub

26 May 06

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Executives from the Las Vegas Sands Corp will be jetting to Singapore next week, after the company was named the surprise winner of Singapore's first integrated resort bid.

For now, the company has issued a statement saying it feels "honoured" to have been picked to build and operate Singapore's first integrated resort at Marina Bay.

It also said it looked forward to helping Singapore meet its tourism goals, in particular its aim to transform the city into a hub for Meetings, Incentive travel, Conventions and Exhibitions (MICE) by 2015.

To be built at a cost of more than S$5 billion, Marina Bay Sands will provide additional exhibition and convention space that is two-and-a half times that of Suntec City.

With 2,500 new hotel rooms and a host of entertainment, retail and F&B facilities, the integrated resort is set to help meet Singapore's tourism targets for 2015.

While the selection committee led by Deputy Prime Minister Professor Jayakumar was full of praises for Sands' tender, its win was a shock

DBS Vickers Securities' executive for equity research, James Tan, said: "I think it comes as a surprise to us, given that we were gunning for MGM and CapitaLand to actually win the Marina IR bid. Definitely, Las Vegas Sands' bid naturally comes as a surprise to us."

The committee says Las Vegas Sands, which came in with a S$3.85 billion bid, has the best overall proposal compared to the other three contenders.

Trade and Industry Minister Lim Hng Kiang said: "Their ability to execute a resort casino in Macau currently, that also shows their ability to execute big projects. Sands of course have the Venetian in Las Vegas, and they're right now building a new piazo - 3,000-room casino resort. So it shows that they have execution capability."

The minister said the integrated resort is not only expected to increase tourism receipts but also value add some S$2.7 billion to Singapore's Gross Domestic Product.

Analysts Channel NewsAsia spoke to believe City Developments may act as a consultant to Las Vegas Sands and help the project in terms of understanding the local market and construction details.

DBS Vickers Securities' James Tan said: "I think the implications for Las Vegas Sands would definitely be positive on Las Vegas Sands and stock, and it will add to their portfolio of casinos they already have in Macau. And now with a presence in Singapore as well, that will add to their portfolio of casinos in Asia."

Sands is expected to make a payment of S$1.2 billion for the land at Marina Bay within the next 90 days.

According to tender agreement, construction must start within the next three years and it must be completed no later than 2014.

Analysts predict shares of losing bidders CapitaLand, Keppel Land and Genting International could suffer next week.

By Johnson Choo, Channel NewsAsia


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architecture that gets people talking ;)

The Hotel tower feels tall.....:yes:

May 27, 2006
DESIGN
Architecture fits well with plans for area

By Daryl Loo

THE Sands design proposal included plenty of places where people can just shoot the breeze and enjoy uninterrupted views from any place in any building.

Most prominent is a 1ha sky park - bigger than two football fields - set on top of three hotel towers 50 storeys up, providing a 360-degree view of the city.

The hotels themselves are located a distance from the waterfront, so guests in their rooms are treated to expansive views of the city skyline and the entire Marina Bay. And for those viewing the new Marina Bay Sands integrated resort (IR) from across Marina Bay, the spaces between the hotel towers frame the spectacle of the proposed Gardens on the Bay right behind it.

This architectural integration with the existing and future developments on Marina Bay was what stood out in the Sands proposal, said National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan yesterday. He noted the importance of the winning IR proposal fitting in well with what has been planned for Marina Bay: a massive extension of Singapore's new downtown area that includes a new financial hub, gardens, and the Esplanade.

Architectural design represented 30 per cent of the evaluation criteria, the second-highest of the four factors considered.

In picking the top design, the ministers were guided by the recommendations of a panel of prominent local and foreign architects headed by Urban Redevelopment Authority chairman Cheong Koon Hean. Its members were the URA's chief planner, Mrs Koh Wen Gin, local architects Alan Choe, Mok Wei Wei, and Rita Soh, and Professor Philip Cox of Australia and Professor John de Monchaux from the United States.

They took two days in April to evaluate the proposals submitted by the four bidders - based on the 'iconic' quality of its architecture and how well it is integrated with the surroundings - before submitting a report to the ministers.

According to Mr Mah, Sands was the clear favourite for these experts. 'In each of these areas...the Design Evaluation Panel recommended that the Sands proposal was superior to the others, for example, its composition, the setbacks of the buildings, the opening up of the views across the city, across the bay,' he said.

On the other hand, Mr Mah pointed out that the other proposals were lacking in one or two aspects, such as in terms of pedestrian circulation, their layout, and how the overall design fitted into Marina Bay.

The designer for Marina Bay Sands is US-based architect Moshe Safdie, responsible for the Salt Lake City Public Library in the US, the Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum in Israel, and The Edge on Cairnhill here. Other stand-out elements in his design proposal were the ArtScience Museum that resembles the shape of a hand making a welcoming gesture, and greenery over building facades and roof terraces to go with Singapore's tropical 'Garden City' image.

Copyright © 2005 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

May 27, 2006
TOURISM
Why Las Vegas Sands won Marina Bay bid
Gamble on Mice paid off

By Arti Mulchand

MICE, apparently, was what helped Las Vegas Sands win the bid for Singapore's first casino resort at Marina Bay.

Not the rodents, but the meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions (Mice) business that is one of the cornerstones of Singapore's drive to attract visitor dollars.

The US casino operator emphasised its Mice strengths in its bid - and the gamble paid off. When Deputy Prime Minister S. Jayakumar announced Sands as the winner yesterday, he said its proposal would 'significantly strengthen Singapore's position as a leading Mice destination'.

The 110,000 sq m convention space - the equivalent of two National Stadiums - that Sands will build will provide more than half the 200,000 sq m Mice area that authorities had envisioned for Marina Bay by 2015, said Minister of Trade and Industry Lim Hng Kiang.

Its 2,500 new hotel rooms in three towers will represent a quarter of the 10,000 projected for the Marina Mice cluster.

The convention space will include a 9,200 sq m column-free Grand Ballroom that can hold 8,000 people and which will be the largest in Asia.

None of the other three had banked as heavily on the Mice sector as had Sands, though MGM Mirage-CapitaLand plans had also included plush convention facilities.

Las Vegas Sands has said it could bring in 20 annual exhibitions and more than 350 business meetings here every year.

In addition, Sands' plan to target the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and banking and finance sectors was also relevant to Singapore's core competence.

Sands is confident it can fill 75 to 90 per cent of its hotel rooms. It hit those targets in its casinos in Las Vegas and Macau, and could attract at least another 700,000 visitors here every year, it had said previously.

Its entertainment offerings also strengthened its bid as they dovetailed nicely with Singapore's tourism agenda: more venues for large-scale events and productions.

It will build two 2,000-seat theatres, which will plug a 'gap' in Singapore's event space needs, said a spokesman for the Urban Redevelopment Authority.

The resort also boasts a 3,000-seat amphitheatre above the ArtScience Museum, where a nightly light and water show will be held, as well as events and performances. Then there is the events 'piazza', which can accommodate 10,000 people.

Other factors that worked in Sands favour included the ArtScience museum, which will showcase the relationship between the arts and sciences.

Tourism appeal accounts for 40 per cent of the score when the the bids were assessed.

The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) is aiming to triple visitor receipts to $30 billion and create 100,000 new jobs within 10 years. It hopes to attract 17 million visitors by 2015, from less than 9 million currently.

Mr Lim said: 'When we look at tourism appeal, we are looking at several key areas. One is the Mice, second is entertainment, third is attractions, fourth is the retail and dining experience and fifth will be the type of gaming business that comes.

'We look at the overall attraction, the overall concept put together. So based on all these variable components and the overall concept, Sands also was clearly the best proposal.'

arti@sph.com.sg

Copyright © 2005 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

Scanned from the Business Times:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v427/rotpics03/MBsands.jpg

im sorry but this is very tacky
a city needs more than a casino to attract business

it reminds me of the Simpson's episode when Mr Burns built a casino in Springfield

This story was printed from TODAYonline

Marina Bay IR decision not left to the laymen: Mah

Weekend • May 27, 2006

Ansley Ng
ansley@newstoday.com.sg

IT TOOK two months and input from a high-level group of more than 20 people — including Ministers, urban planners and foreign architects — to pick Las Vegas Sands to build Singapore's first integrated resort (IR).

It was also a "technical and highly complicated process" that needed input from independent and "renowned" architectural experts, said National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan.

"We are all laymen ... we look at the picture and we have different views," said Mr Mah at the press conference held to announce the winner on Friday. "But we thought, let's have the experts together and let them assess the proposals, including the details, to the extent of determining of how easy is it to execute and how practical it is."

The Ministers who gave the final nod were guided by the Design Evaluation Panel, chaired by Mrs Cheong Koon Hean, CEO of the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA).

Other members of the panel included URA's chief planner and deputy CEO, Mrs Koh Wen Gin; President of the Singapore Institute of Architects Rita Soh; award-winning architect Mr Alan Choe; as well as foreign architectural experts Professor Philip Cox from Australia and Professor John de Monchaux from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the United States.

"The Design Evaluation Panel made the recommendation that the Sands design was superior to others, in terms of composition. In terms of the design, we felt that the other proposers were lacking in one or two of the aspects. For example, in terms of pedestrian circulation, in terms of the layout (and) of how the design fitted into the Bay," said Mr Mah.

"All the proposals had their strengths, but when you put it all together as a package, Sands' proposal was superior to the others."

Plans on paper aside, bidders also had to give two presentations: One to a Tender Evaluation Committee, chaired by Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance Lim Siong Guan, and the other to the Tender Approving Authority (TAA), made up of five Ministers led by Deputy Prime Minister Prof S Jayakumar.

When asked why the public's views on the design were not sought, Mr Mah said: "We could not put four pictures on the table and let the public decide. It is a technical process and a highly complicated process and we wanted expert opinions on this."

Apart from being swayed by the looks, the committees were also pleased with the business plans that Sands — the strongest of the four in the conventions industry and one with good grounding in an Asian market — had to offer.

"We took the overall strength, the financial feasibility of the business plan," said Second Minister for Finance Raymond Lim, who is also in the TAA.

Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports, added that Sands had the advantage, based on their "access to the Chinese market, and the familiarity with tapping into this market".

To ensure bidders understood what the Government wanted, a website was also set up by the Singapore Tourism Board to take questions after bidders collected their proposal forms last November, said the board's CEO Lim Neo Chian.

Copyright MediaCorp Press Ltd. All rights reserved.

im sorry but this is very tacky
a city needs more than a casino to attract business

it reminds me of the Simpson's episode when Mr Burns built a casino in Springfield

honestly thats being a bit simple-minded

if you read through the purpose of this project, you'll find that the casino isnt the only thing going for this project, the planners here cant be that obtuse, and the developer wouldnt be silly enough to pay such high development costs if it doesnt make business-sense.

As for tacky-design, I dont think it wants to blend in totally with the existing buildings and why should it? Its meant to be an attraction. In terms of its contribution and enhancement of the existing urban fabric, I think it does really well.

Its actually about the BIG convention business really :yes:

5 May 2006

S'pore: Asia's No.1 convention city for 7th time

SINGAPORE has been named Asia's Top Convention City for the seventh time since 1995.

This is according to the Amsterdam-based International Congress and Convention Association's (ICCA) ranking, which is one of the most prominent organisations in the world of international meetings.

It also placed Singapore at No. 2 on the rankings for the world's Top Convention City for the second year.

Vienna took the top spot while Barcelona ranked third.

Singapore hosted a total of 125 international conferences last year, a 20 per cent increase from 2004, while Vienna hosted 129 conventions and Barcelona hosted 116.

The ICCA rankings take into consideration business events that are organised on a regular basis, attract international visitors and which rotate among a minimum of three countries.

Said Mr Aloysius Arlando, Singapore Tourism Board's (STB) assistant chief executive of business travel and meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions (Mice) group: 'We are fully aware that competition is fiercely heating up and the STB is committed to working together with our industry partners to build up a robust pipeline of business events to maintain our leadership position.'

STB will launch a marketing campaign in the second half of this year which will include roadshows and Mice seminars organised together with industry partners and regional office, said STB in a press statement yesterday.



btw....there's also another Integrated Resort being planned for Sentosa :)

Its actually about the BIG convention business really :yes:

btw....there's also another Integrated Resort being planned for Sentosa :)

Yes.....the convention business is whats they are gunning for with the Marina Bay Sands.....:yes:

As for Sentosa, I expect them to go big on the theme park and less on retail (vivocity is just nearby) and convention.......:yes:

^^

Exactly, the project planned for Sentosa would be suitable for Sentosa in its concept as a leisure island, while this project is aimed at a different market and atmosphere.

Asia is booming....lots of tourists on the way ;)

^^

Exactly, the project planned for Sentosa would be suitable for Sentosa in its concept as a leisure island, while this project is aimed at a different market and atmosphere.

Asia is booming....lots of tourists on the way ;)

Yeah.....and with budget airlines, the potential is huge.....;)

That's an amazing proposal. I'm looking forward to the ArtScience museum.

I hated it once, but I guess the design does grow on you with time, plus the fact that one has to love it since its gonna be stuck with the skyline for a long time to come. From certain angles and with different lighting, it actually would look quite nice. And the convention centres do fit well with Marina Bay.

Since there will already be one IR in Marina Bay, it would seem weird for it to be alone. There definitely is space for at least another one at Marina Bay IMO.

Since there will already be one IR in Marina Bay, it would seem weird for it to be alone. There definitely is space for at least another one at Marina Bay IMO.

Hmm....2 IR within such near vicnity?? Dun noe......that depends on the number of tourist i think......:yes:

Tan Hock Beng was prophetic when he warned against the New Downtown turning into a playground of corporate symbols standing for everything a sophisticated society shouldn't endorse. This was in 2002 of course, when Tay Kheng Soon was still outlining plans for a university and tropical architecture at the new city.

I wish our New City was built on ideals and not soulless economic sense. Have they under valued the Pompidou proposal? What's the worth of a casino beyond economic profit projections? Does it cheapen the prospects of Singapore being a global city? IMO, the casino is not worth the millions it will bring in unless it translates into cultural infrastructure. Singapore doesn't need more money, it needs more support for the arts and an intelligent population in order to become a global city.

Since this proposal has won, i'd like to see if there is more substance to the Art Science Museum component. It hardly sounds like a viable cultural entity even against our own existing museums.

I hated it once, but I guess the design does grow on you with time, plus the fact that one has to love it since its gonna be stuck with the skyline for a long time to come. From certain angles and with different lighting, it actually would look quite nice. And the convention centres do fit well with Marina Bay.


We don't have to love it just cos we're stuck with it. If Singaporeans learned to resent the decisions made by their elitist government just a bit more (recent articles have reflected govt opinions that Singaporean "laymen" were unqualified to vote on their new casino), maybe one day we will finally get our vote against the UFOs and durians that the government keeps selling us out on.

Maybe its just cos we've learnt to to censor ourselves from opposition too much. Am i the only one who hasn't gotten over the UFO with flayed human skin for a Civil Court and the durian Concert hall and the Nuclear Silo Casino... I want our initiative on Architectural and Urban Design Excellence (AUDE) to translate into better architecture already.

May 29, 2006
Sands ready to 'roll up sleeves', get started on Marina IR

LAS Vegas Sands (LVS) says it is 'ready to roll up its sleeves' and begin work on The Marina Bay Sands.

'Now, it is time to get our team on the ground and help the Singapore government meet the objectives they have laid out for us,' said its Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Sheldon Adelson.

He said LVS will be sending its Executive Vice-President, Mr Brad Stone, and Vice-President of Construction in Macao, Mr Matthew Pryor, to advance the development planning process in Singapore.

LVS' statement on Monday came three days after it was awarded the contract to develop the integrated resort (IR) at Marina Bay. The resort will include a casino.

LVS estimates that total employment generated by the IR would amount to over 30,000 jobs by 2015 of which approximately 10,400 positions will be at The Marina Bay Sands.

Over 75 per cent of the jobs created, including key management positions, will be offered to Singaporeans to expand the skill sets of Singaporeans and provide a viable career path in the IR and service industry.

To help provide a talent pool that can deliver on a high quality customer experience, Mr Adelson said LVS aims to 'raise service standards and the image of the service professions in Singapore in coordination with the Singapore Government and local training and educational institutions'.

Employment and re-skilling of older workers will be another key focus of its human resource strategy.

It plans to provide a higher level of assistance for the training of older workers to help them upgrade or re-skill themselves.

LVS, which beat out competitors MGM-CapitaLand, Harrah-Keppel Land and Genting International, has promised to pump more than $5 billion into the Marina Bay resort,making it one of the costliest resorts in the world.

The IR is expected to add $2.7 billion, or 0.8 per cent, to the Singapore economy by 2015.

Headquartered in Las Vegas, LVS owns The Venetian Resort Hotel Casino and the Sands Expo and Convention Centre. In Asia, it owns the Sands Macau and is also developing other casino hotel resort properties there, including the Macao Venetian Casino Resort.

Copyright © 2006 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

29 May 2006 2113 hrs

Singapore hotels see Sands opening as boon for business
By Dominique Loh, Channel NewsAsia

SINGAPORE : Downtown hotels are seeing the awarding of Singapore's first integrated resort project to Sands of Las Vegas as an opportunity rather than as competition.

Gerhard Kropp is overseeing a makeover at his hotel in Orchard Road.

He wants to get the Meritus Mandarin shipshape for the upcoming IMF and World Bank annual meetings in September.

But setting his sights further, three years down the road, he doesn't see opening of the Sands at Marina Bay as too much of a challenge.

Said Mr Kropp, general manager, Meritus Mandarin, "I believe with the STB target is setting to more than double the present visitors to Singapore, I think 2,500 rooms will not pose a threat to our existing inventory here in Singapore."

Right now, you can expect to pay about S$700 for a high-end room; in a year or two, expect to pay even more.

Hotel rates are rising.

In the last year or so they jumped between 15 and 18 percent and will perhaps rise another 6 to 7 percent next year.

Rather than flooding the market, industry players expect occupancy and room rates at downtown hotels to go even higher when Sands opens in 2009, thanks to a spill-over effect.

Said Mr Kropp, "It will be beneficial to everybody. I believe not every visitor to Singapore will now stay at Sands ... They may opt to stay with us at Orchard, and go once in a while to the casino and gamble and look at the facilities there and come back, spend money at our hotel and Orchard Road."

Shops and F&B outlets around town are also looking forward to higher traffic.

The conventions and exhibition space planned for Sands at Marina Bay may be vast, catering to 4,000 to 5,000 at a time.

Even so, Sands won't be able to cater to everyone -- and this is where the other existing hotels in the downtown area come in. - CNA /ct

Copyright © 2006 MCN International Pte Ltd

We don't have to love it just cos we're stuck with it. If Singaporeans learned to resent the decisions made by their elitist government just a bit more (recent articles have reflected govt opinions that Singaporean "laymen" were unqualified to vote on their new casino), maybe one day we will finally get our vote against the UFOs and durians that the government keeps selling us out on.

Maybe its just cos we've learnt to to censor ourselves from opposition too much. Am i the only one who hasn't gotten over the UFO with flayed human skin for a Civil Court and the durian Concert hall and the Nuclear Silo Casino... I want our initiative on Architectural and Urban Design Excellence (AUDE) to translate into better architecture already.

My comment wasn't meant to be intepreted in that manner but since it was........okay......that's another perspective to look at it from............

Don't know if this has been posted before but: Las Vegas Sands expects its Marina Bay Sands Project to break even in 5 years.

I hate the design!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Was expecting Harrah's to win. :cry::cry::cry:


So 1970s sci-fi.
Like to see KPF and Libeskind's designs. Sure they're more aesthetically pleasing than this 1970s monolith.

^Didn't you say that already?? :?

I think I quite like it from the renderings. Stucture is way daring and sure emerging to be a new world's landmark.

31 May 2006

At least 9 banks bid to lend money for Singapore's first integrated resort
By Wong Choon Mei, Channel NewsAsia

SINGAPORE: Banks are queueing up to give Las Vegas Sands money to build Singapore's first integrated resort.

Already, at least nine banks are offering to provide it with an initial S$1.5b loan.

This is to pay the Singapore Government a deposit by the end of August.

At a total cost of S$5b, Marina Bay Sands is the most expensive development of its kind in the world.

As well as gaming, come 2009, the resort will boast huge hotels, shops and an arts and science museum as well as 110,000 square metres of convention space.

That is about the size of 2 large football stadiums.

And there is no shortage of banks trying to get to the table, with Citigroup, Goldman Sachs, HSBC, Lehman Brothers, Barclays and Bank of Nova Scotia all competing.

They can see the attraction.

Singapore wants to go up-market in its tourism drive, targeting more the lucrative meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions segment, popularly know as MICE.

"For Singapore, the MICE gives them a possible area to compete effectively, not just on price but in terms of infrastructure and security and other more intangible benefits that Singapore can offer. Think of it more like a tennis or golf circuit. We need it to offer an alternative, a credible and large facility to try and maintain some of the convention business in Asia," said Kevin Scully, Managing Director of NetResearch Asia.

Already, about 1 visitor in every 4 comes to Singapore to attend either a business meeting, convention or exhibition, with more 5,000 events a year.

Sands has already promised to pull in an additional 20 annual exhibitions and at least 350 business meetings each year.

"One of our primary reasons why we think we've won is our position in the MICE business. We know that the MICE business is something that is very important for Singapore. It has been very important for us for decades generally," said William Weidner, President of Las Vegas Sands.

According to analysts, Singapore has to do more to cater for this lucrative segment or risk losing out to rivals Hong Kong and Shanghai.

In particular, it is keen to attract events relating to IT, biomedical sciences, banking and finance to support its broader economy.

Rolling out soon are CommunicAsia in June, MICE Asia in July, Forbes CEO Conference and the IMF-World Bank annual meetings in September.

According to Aloysius Arlando, Assistant Chief Executive of the business travel and MICE division at the Singapore Toursim Board, his agency will aggressively bid for business events and aim to leverage on the nation's economic base. - CNA /dt

Copyright © 2006 MCN International Pte Ltd

Business Times - 01 Jun 2006

Construction boom expected from IR project

Sands will have 3 to 5 main contractors who will farm out work to local firms

By CONRAD TAN

THE eyes of construction company executives are now turning hungrily to the contracts expected to pour forth from Sands' $5 billion Marina Bay Sands integrated resort (IR).

Construction work on Singapore's biggest-ever project is expected to start before the end of the year. Details are still sketchy, but William Weidner, president of winning bidder Las Vegas Sands, who was in Singapore earlier this week to launch the project and introduce his team, indicated that there could be three to five main contracts supervised directly by Sands. These contractors will in turn farm out work to local sub-contractors.

Excluding the fixed land price of $1.2 billion, the development cost of the entire resort and casino has been estimated at a cool $3.85 billion.

The sheer size of the project for Singapore's first integrated resort and casino - with a total gross floor area equivalent to over 70 football fields - means that local contractors are likely to be closely involved with the actual construction of the building complex. They will have to work fast, as the resort is due to open by 2009.

The contracts should prove a welcome boost to the recovering construction industry here. The Marina Bay IR is set to form a significant chunk of the $12 billion to $13.5 billion worth of construction contracts expected to be awarded to local firms this year, up from the $11.3 billion awarded last year. Work on the second IR at Sentosa, which is still open for bidding, is unlikely to start before next year, but is also expected to bolster the construction sector in coming years.

The Building and Construction Authority has projected annual construction orders of $13 to $15 billion for the next five years, supported by major developments such as the IRs and the rejuvenation of the Orchard Road shopping belt.

Sands already runs the Sands Macau casino in China as well as its main casino resort, The Venetian, in Las Vegas. It is now developing a second, much larger casino resort in Macau and building an extension, known as The Palazzo, to its Las Vegas resort.

Of the Marina Bay Sands resort, Mr Weidner said at a press conference on Tuesday: 'We will probably GC (general contract) the project ourselves. We will probably have three or four main contractors that report essentially to us because that's our expertise - we build big buildings like this.

'For example, The Palazzo that we're building now in Las Vegas is about two million square feet larger than (the Marina Bay IR) and we're our own general contractor.

'We have a major concrete contract, we have a major steel-installing contract . . . so you've got four or five main contracts but we supervise the main contracts, then the (sub-contracts) come in under those.'

Local contractors eager to get their hands on some of the lucrative contracts will have to wait just a while more. Mr Weidner and his team will be meeting other Sands executives in Las Vegas on Monday to thrash out details of the design, before construction can begin. But Mr Weidner stressed that there would be no unnecessary delay, saying: 'We are trying to find ways to get on to the site as soon as we can.'

Yesterday, construction sector stocks remained generally flat, with three gainers, nine losers, and 28 unchanged.

Copyright © 2005 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. All rights reserved.

01 June 2006

More international watersports events at Marina Bay when IR is completed
By Pearl Forss, Channel NewsAsia

SINGAPORE: Las Vegas Sands has won the Marina Bay integrated resort bid and among it's plans - spending millions of dollars on water activities in the area to make it a premier place for water sports in the world.

At the same time, organisers of the Singapore WaterFest have given themselves 5 years to grow the event at Marina Bay into an international attraction.

Wakeboarding, sailing, windsurfing are just some of the activities Singaporeans and tourists can try out once the Marina Barrage is completed in 2007.

With the Integrated Resort to be ready in 2009, watersports enthusiasts feel it will be an even greater boost to watersports in Singapore.

"It's a good starting point where we can stage a good number of water related sports on this water body itself. With local participation and with the kind of international activities that we can bring to bear, I'm sure it will attract a lot of tourism," said Low Teo Ping, Chairman of the Water Sports Working Group, Singapore Sports Council.

Las Vegas Sands told Channel NewsAsia it intends to spend millions of dollars on water activities to draw international tourists.

"We have already begun the process of discussing with government what their programmes are, we will participate in those programmes in terms of how our facilities integrate with it, and then we'll look for gaps in those programmes where we'll sponsor things ourselves," said William P Weidner, President and COO of Las Vegas Sands.

Some of the international water sports events that Singapore currently hosts include the F1 Powerboat Race, the Wakebord World Cup and the World Water Ski Championships.

With the IR, the Singapore Sports Council is confident of attracting even more renowned international water sports attractions such as the World Windsurfing Championships and Match Racing which will all contribute to Singapore's aim of becoming Asia's watersports hub.

The Water Sports Working Group has said plans for watersports in the Marina Barrage area could be constrained by crafts such as the Singapore Jet Boat and River Taxis.

"My hope is that they will limit commercial traffic on this water body. A lot of these commercial crafts that you have on this water are motor powered and driven by propellers, because there is a certain weight related to these crafts, they create a certain wake effect and a wake effect would then create turbulence within the water and that is not good for body powered sporting activities," added Mr Low.

The Water Sports Working Group also said they plan to grow the annual WaterFest, which started in 2005, into an international sports event. - CNA /dt

Copyright © 2006 MCN International Pte Ltd

Sweet jesus! It looks so Star Warsy. I love it! I love it! Wow! Is this real *pinches self* WOW! :)

im sorry but this is very tacky
a city needs more than a casino to attract business

it reminds me of the Simpson's episode when Mr Burns built a casino in Springfield


OMG god please - the Sands concept is fucking hot. It makes the Sydney casino look like a toilet block. It might not be pure style but it works well with singpore and mirrors the bug-like domes across the bay. The design is modern, midly tacky (not so by vegas standards) but it is nice it be a little flamboyant - Singapore is so generic and boring now - it needs this to stir the pot a little.

If only the sands had been invited to build Sydney's casino ours is the worlds worse dogs vomit. Rest assured my friend in singapore if this is the calibre of what you are getting you should be very happy.

OMG god please - the Sands concept is fucking hot. It makes the Sydney casino look like a toilet block. It might not be pure style but it works well with singpore and mirrors the bug-like domes across the bay. The design is modern, midly tacky (not so by vegas standards) but it is nice it be a little flamboyant - Singapore is so generic and boring now - it needs this to stir the pot a little.

If only the sands had been invited to build Sydney's casino ours is the worlds worse dogs vomit. Rest assured my friend in singapore if this is the calibre of what you are getting you should be very happy.

some feedback from the public includes references to nuclear silos and ancestral tablets. Feng Shui Masters hate it.

Marina Bay integrated resort's design features are the talk of the town

ARCHITECTS love it. Fengshui masters think it is a disaster.
Love it or hate it, the design of the Marina Bay integrated resort is a talking point - especially the 50-storey-high sky park.

The 1ha sky park, larger than two football fields, is one of the most prominent features of the $5 billion resort, which Las Vegas Sands won the bid to build.


Linking the tops of three 50-storey hotel towers, the park overlooks the museum, retail and convention spaces and boasts a 360-degree view of the city and the Singapore Strait.

'I think the sky garden could become something iconic and a first in the world,' said Dr Erwin Viray, assistant professor at the National University of Singapore's department of architecture.

Architect Goh Chong Chia, managing director of TSP Architects and Planners, is equally excited. 'Roof gardens have been created before but not on this sort of scale. It's like lifting the ground to a whole new level.'

United States-based architect Moshe Safdie designed the resort. He said the greenery at the summit fits Singapore's image as a 'garden city'.

The Sands also consulted a fengshui master, but said he was out of town and could not be contacted for comment.

But those The Sunday Times interviewed were not enthusiastic about the design.

Geomancer Victor Li, who has worked with The Raffles Hotel and The Grand Hyatt Singapore, said: 'On their own, the three tall buildings look like three ancestral tablets and, with the sky garden, it looks like a broken flyover, with 'neither head nor tail'.'

He said the Mandarin phrase 'neither head nor tail' has a negative connotation, usually used to describe things that are incomplete and imperfect.

The flatness of the rooftop is another problem.

Master Tan Khoon Yong of Way Onnet Group said it resembles a blade that will affect all buildings surrounding the IR, especially the Swissotel Stamford.

'Also, because the rooftop is flat, it restricts the development and growth for the IR,' he said.

While geomancer Adelina Pang has no problem with the flat roof, she warned that the garden should not have ponds or water features, because this would symbolise a drowning building.

Out of the 40 people interviewed by The Sunday Times yesterday, 22 were impressed by the design, while 18 disliked it.

Ms Loke Mei En, 33, a hedge fund manager, said: 'It looks embarrassing. The design is haphazardly put together. It's an aberration on our waterfront.'

Others liken the towers to 'joss-sticks' and a 'glorified factory'.

But the overall layout has won many fans. The architects say the placement of public spaces in front and private quarters at the back facilitates the flow of people and makes 'urban design sense', while geomancer Gwee Kim Woon says the buildings are positioned in a shape of a bat.

The Mandarin word for 'bat' sounds similar to the Mandarin word for luck, so bats are often associated with luck.

As for the lotus-shaped Art- Science museum, people from both camps supported the idea of a bloom along the waterfront.

Architect John Ting said: 'To us in Asia, the lotus is providential and if you know how to capitalise on the concept of a lotus, it can be iconic.'

But architect Tay Kheng Soon feels the project might be too striking for its own good. 'Because it is so outstanding, it is likely to be mistaken as the icon of Singapore. No self-respecting city has a casino as its icon.'

some feedback from the public includes references to nuclear silos and ancestral tablets. Feng Shui Masters hate it.

The public feedback is roughly split 50:50, with a slight majority favouring it, if you were referring to today's article.

As for me, its growing on me :yes:

: 06 June 2006

Singapore's integrated resorts to begin hiring in 2007
By Ng Bao Ying, Channel NewsAsia

The casinos in Singapore's integrated resorts are expected to start hiring in late 2007.

And with the regional industry-wide labour shortage, Singaporeans angling for a job in these casinos will be in a good position, say industry experts.

So how can Singaporeans cash in their chips?

With Singapore's limited experience in casinos, hiring for the integrated resort projects may begin as early as next year so that there will be enough time to train staff before the actual opening.

Ramachandar Siva, Director - Operations, International Club Games Training Centre, said: "The need to hire early is because in Singapore you never had a casino culture. Working in a casino is a different work ethic and a different work culture completely. Casinos need to spend a lot of time to bring them up to mark to ensure the service provided, when opened, is up to expectations."

But they can expect a crunch come hiring season, because of the regional industry-wide labour shortage.

Ramachandar Siva said: "Now that the explosion is happening a lot of casinos are opening up all over the region especially like Macau, Singapore, and some other countries, there's a shortage of manpower. So demand is huge in this area throughout the Southeast Asian region."

With their start up, the International Club Games Training Centre is placing a $1 million bet that the shortage will work in their favour.

And demand has been good, with some 150 potential student consultations set up over the past two days.

Ramachandar Siva said: "Casinos offer a solid job security because they don't close down overnight. Based on the salaries paid in Macau, we start with a salary of about $2,500 to $2,700 for entry level position, which is a croupier. In Singapore, I do expect the same salaries to be paid by the operators here.

"This gives an opportunity for those who are not qualified with paper degree or a masters to earn that kind of salary that are offered to degree holders. So if you are a bit disadvantaged because you did not continue with education, this is an excellent opportunity to get a job in the casino industry. And earn that kind of salary and a good career movement up the ladders and solid job security."

The company expects returns of about 15 per cent for the first year, and 18 per cent thereafter.

It aims to become a key provider of human resource training for operators in the region, and will continue expanding with more courses and even software development. - CNA/ch

Copyright © 2006 MCN International Pte Ltd

The city-gallery at URA Centre (first floor exhibit) has been updated with the model of the Marina Bay Sands IR.

1.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v133/RafflesCity/irmodel7.jpg

2.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v133/RafflesCity/irmodel4.jpg

3.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v133/RafflesCity/irmodel.jpg

4.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v133/RafflesCity/irmodel2.jpg

How it looks in the city:

1.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v133/RafflesCity/irmodel3.jpg

2.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v133/RafflesCity/irmodel5.jpg

3.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v133/RafflesCity/irmodel6.jpg

Gotta prepare to burn all my money there :D

How it looks in the city:

1.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v133/RafflesCity/irmodel3.jpg


it looks quite small...

May look small...but not if you consider the overall footprint...

they look like 3 slices of 'kueh lapis' :happy:

http://www.bengawansolo.com.sg/mini_pics_kuehs/kueh_lapis.jpg

Habitats of humanity

13 Jun 06

Wunderkind architect Moshe Safdie, whose works are known for their social streak, thinks his Marina Bay Sands resort may just replace Orchard Road

THE current kerfuffle here over the fengshui aspects of Singapore's first integrated resort is apparently not fazing its creator Moshe Safdie one bit.

On the phone with Life! from his Boston office last Friday, Mr Safdie, 68, says lightly: 'Controversy is good because it means the people are engaged in the design.

'We will never get 100 per cent contentious views, just as we will never get 100 per cent agreement,' says the architect whose famous landmarks include his staggered Habitat high-density projects worldwide.

http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/STI/STIMEDIA/image/20060612/ST_IMAGES_LIFSUKMOSHE-A6At.jpg

Last month, the Government announced that the Marina Bay integrated resort bid had been won by American casino-resort giant Las Vegas Sands.

Mr Safdie's winning design for Sands features three 50-storey towers linked by a skypark which overlooks three domes housing shopping and convention centres.

The $5 billion project has got some geomancers here in a tizzy. They say the towers are like ancestral tablets; the skypark is like a broken flyover, suggesting imperfection; and the towers' flat roof is like a blade, suggesting restricted growth. Some Singaporeans have also griped about how the three towers resemble joss sticks and glorified factories.

Asked to comment on the controversy last week, the Israeli-born Mr Safdie is careful to stress that he had consulted a Singaporean geomancer, Mr Chong Swan Lek, before his design for the Marina Bay Sands 'was fully cooked'.

Whether it was deciding where to put entrances or debating corners versus sides, he fielded fengshui issues all the way through to the winning design, he says.

So, for starters, how is it that he came to design a flat, blade-like top as the resort's 1ha skypark?

Look closer, he tells you, and the skypark is not actually flat. 'There is some modulation, with arcades, lookouts and projections up and down. These were very positively considered.'

He is fully aware of the fengshui uproar, having just come from a week of discussions with Las Vegas Sands.

As to critics' concern that the three towers look too much like ancestral tablets, he points out that all actually curve inwards.

Ask him why, and he clears his throat, then says: 'Because if the towers were straight up, that would be too pompous. It would be too much about power, and not enough about humanity.'

Ah, yes, humanity. With him, that word comes with a capital H, as it is the golden rod running through all he thinks and does.

As he puts it: 'Architecture is a social art. We have an agenda to meet in the kind of spaces for human interaction - how it fits into place with the climate and culture, whether it's buildings in Singapore, Jerusalem or India.'

It would follow, then, that he does not seem the sort to discount fengshui concerns willy-nilly.

Indeed, he says: 'It doesn't matter if I buy into all this or not. But I had to sense truly if this is what people could accept. I took it very seriously.'

As for the beach-level art and science museum which he has designed to look like a lotus, he says: 'Everyone was speaking from day one about icon, icon, icon.

'Someone said it should be the Sydney Opera House for Singapore.'

So he hit upon a blossom motif for the museum, which he says folks have since interpreted either as 'a palm signifying welcome' or a providential flower.

'Those people include our fengshui advisor,' he says, adding that what went down especially well with Mr Chong was his idea to collect rainwater on the museum's roof and channel it into a waterfall. 'All that lotus and water symbolism is considered good,' he points out.


Architecture is not art

STILL, there were limits to how far Mr Safdie would go along with this 'icon, icon, icon' predilection.

Even as he busied himself in his Boston office arranging and re-arranging his Lego-like blocks which represent the proposed buildings on the 6 million sq ft site, he kept asking himself how he could build tall buildings which would be 'sort of more humane, habitable and less overbearing'.

Noting that an earlier design by another architect for the site had skyscrapers hugging the coastline, thus cancelling out much of the resort's beachfront potential, he asserts: 'I'm opposed to making just a sculpture. Many buildings are just sculptures, all these twisted things.'

What's so wrong about that? He presses on: 'We cannot create faces for shapes, faces which are capricious. We need to create spaces.

'Architecture is not about art sculptures because artists are not answerable to anyone and can use whatever form they like without having to meet a demanding list of requirements.'

While all that makes him out to be hot and bothered, there is actually an old-world grace and polish about his expressions, which include words such as 'partook'.

Somehow, you can't see him designing something as crass as a casino. To be sure, industry insiders say that clients seek him out when they want landmarks of calm, not lightning rods for arguments.

So, you prod, what was so appealing about the Sands bid that had him taking it on even though he was not the immediate choice for the job?

Calling it an 'extraordinary opportunity', he says: 'I was so interested in this site because it is so integral to downtown Singapore. So the project could become a symbol which is not whimsical or capricious, but an icon of dignity and humanity.'

He glides through his sentences like one who is utterly sure why he does what he does, and how he is going to do it.

But glib he is not, because where fast-talkers tend to bamboozle their listeners with jargon, Mr Safdie - who taught urban design at Harvard Design School for 12 years - uses the simplest language to explain the biggest ideas.

Speaking of which, he says he and Singaporean planners 'speak the same language, speak of the same things'.

In fact, he avers: 'I could have written the Government's (brief) for the integrated resort myself.'

He adds: 'Singapore has always been extremely bold in planning; of course, there were mistakes as well along the way but everyone's heart is in the right place to make Singapore a liveable city.'


Humility above all

YOU ponder this apparent about-turn. In 1997, he had told an Israeli newspaper that Singapore's Housing and Development Board was not making the most of the design potential of high-density housing.

To date, he has designed three projects here, namely the Ardmore Habitat condominiums, The Edge On Cairnhill and Simpang New Town.

You tell him some Singaporean architects look at The Edge - his relatively staid freehold condo project for Sembawang Properties - and feel he has long ceased to be an iconoclast.

You brace yourself for his bristling (he is famously contemptuous of those who don't see things his way).

But he waits out the query patiently and says, coolly, that in his 40 years in the business, he has been creating projects 'that are very important for cultural life'.

Among his proudest milestones are the Vancouver Public Library - whose Colosseum-like design caused an outcry at first - the United States Institute of Peace headquarters in Washington DC and the Khalsa/National Museum of the Sikhs in Punjab, India. 'I invite my critics to visit these places,' he says with what sounds like a snicker.

It may also be that he has weathered enough controversy throughout his career to be nonchalant about it.

He himself says he's quite happy to eat humble pie. 'In architecture, there is a tendency to lose one's humility, to be insensitive to the impact one's work has on humanity.

'It's a tragedy if you lose touch with the people you are designing buildings for.'

Big talk, yes, but he walks it. He is well-known for going to great lengths to make sure buildings live and breathe the rhythm of real life.

Take the seawall fronting the Sands resort site. Mr Safdie needs a seawall that is 'slightly curved' as that would work to turn the area into a promenade and arcade.

He recalls: 'I thought if I could integrate the promenade with the arcade, we could save some space and tuck the shops under the promenade. So I went back to the Urban Redevelopment Authority to get permission to rebuild the seawall so it curved a little, and it agreed.

'It was a breakthrough.'


Pearls and perils

IF THERE'S one thing this twice-married father of four is good at, it's breakthroughs.

After all, he smashed monolithic pretensions when he was only 23, designing Habitat 67, a housing project in Montreal, Canada, made up of biscuit-brown box-like concrete blocks in staggered stacks, and built into a hillside.

Today, Habitat 67 is still one of Montreal's most sought-after addresses. For a Singapore take on it, look no farther than Ardmore Habitat, which is a 1980s scaled-down version of Habitat 67 in white. It was also his first project here.

By 1971, the then 33-year-old had landed on the cover of Newsweek magazine, which reported that his rise 'is probably unequalled in architectural history'.

But, as so often happens in life, such early success brought him pearls as well as perils.

He muses: 'One of the things you learn since then is that with large projects, people are extremely demanding.

'A project you were known for ceases to be sufficient to sustain people's interest; how short-lived in some ways memories are.'

In fact, as The New Yorker noted in 2003, he built 'almost nothing' for 10 years after Habitat 67.

Of that, he recalls: 'I was successful, yes, yet several of my projects were not realised. There was difficulty in breaking through building codes; people found it difficult to accept the new things I was doing.'

That's so. He had New Yorkers up in arms with his 1980s design, Columbus Center, which they said would cast shadows over their beloved Central Park. It was never built.

And despite being a citizen of Canada, his country deigned to get him to design for its people only after his stint at Harvard Design School. That was so even though it had awarded him The Royal Architectural Institute of Canada's coveted Gold Medal when he was 30.

So how did he stay the course?

'Keeping your head above water is basically a matter of not letting success go to your head,' he says, adding that he is 'indebted' to his parents, both Sephardic Jews, for having taught him humility.

It was his father, a textile importer rendered poor and disenchanted by socialism in Israel of the day who yanked his family out of the country and planted them in Montreal.

So, at 15, Mr Safdie found himself 'non- voluntarily' being frogmarched by his family, as it were, to the West.

Resentful of the move at first, he has since drawn on his experiences to be 'a bridge between East and West'.

As he says this, verve wells up in his voice again.

You ask him what his most satisfying achievement to date is. He parries, then predicts that the Marina Bay Sands will be 'one of my most significant projects ever'.

As he puts it: 'I think it's going to shift Singapore's centre of gravity. It will become a counterpoint to Orchard Road, and that will become very interesting.

'It may even replace Orchard Road, and I'm very excited about that.'


By Cheong Suk-Wai, SENIOR CORRESPONDENT

You think it'll really be brown? I wonder how it'll really look like...

I dont think it will be brown...thats just the model's colour....but I cant say for sure what colour it'll be...hope for a stunning and unusual facade though...maybe it should go for 'futuristic metallic' :D

when the constuction starts?

Est at 2006 year end....:yes:

03 July 2006

Las Vegas Sands begins marketing campaign for Marina Bay integrated resort
By Wong Choon Mei, Channel NewsAsia

SINGAPORE : US hotel and casino group Las Vegas Sands has begun its marketing campaign for the Marina Bay integrated resort.

At an exhibition to sell conference venues and facilities here on Monday, Sands' Asian arm, Venetian Macau, showcased the Singapore project alongside other similar facilities it is developing in China.

Las Vegas Sands is wasting no time in marketing the Marina Bay integrated resort.

And it says it is seeing keen interest in the project, which will include hotels, exhibition and convention centres, as well as a casino, spread out on a 50.9-acre waterfront site near Singapore's main financial district.

John Catt, Executive Director, Venetian Macau, said, "Las Vegas will be developing its plans and yes, we will provide information as much as possible to those people who will be interested. It's a very exciting, a very exciting opportunity for most people and a lot of people naturally want to get in at the beginning."

Sands is one of the most active players in the Asian hotels and casino scene.

Its subsidiary, Venetian Macau, is developing a US$3 billion leisure and gaming complex on the Cotai Strip in Macau.

Mr Catt said, "Macau and Singapore are two distinct regions with their own catchment areas for business...We don't it see it as cannibalising. Quite the opposite, we see it as complementing and supplementing one another.

"People who may choose to come to one of the two conventions one year may choose, once they have experienced the quality they can get for their corporation, may choose to go to the other in subsequent years."

When fully up and running, the Marina Bay project is expected to boost Singapore's economy by about 0.8 percentage point, with tourism arrivals and receipts adding S$2.7 billion to GDP. - CNA/ms

Copyright © 2006 MCN International Pte Ltd

Any idea how one invests in this project?

http://skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=334283&page=4&pp=20

Coincident?

the sky park looks awkward though.. overall, its a great project. i like it.. :D

I took this pic sometime last year, looking at the bay.

The site is where you see those white tents on the empty green land.

Construction is anticipated to start by year's end.

http://img199.imageshack.us/img199/9084/marinabaypano2rp.jpg

http://skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=334283&page=4&pp=20

Coincident?

I remember hoaxing the Singaproe Forum about this being a revamped design of Sands.:D

I prefer the Moshe Safdie version though, the walls are more curved:)

looks kinda ugly

I like the sky garden concept, but the towers are not nice at all.

13 July 2006

US firm expects to start building Singapore's first casino this year

SINGAPORE : Las Vegas Sands Corp, which won a bid to build Singapore's first casino, is in talks with the government to refine the project's design and expects to start construction by the end of the year, a company official said.

"Since the design was approved, we have been working through with the Singapore Tourism Board and the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) to refine the design," senior vice president of Asian development Stephen Weaver said.

"In general, it is a question of refining it for better utility for tenants and for users," Weaver told reporters on the sidelines of an international conference on the shopping mall industry.

Construction for the Marina Bay Sands in Singapore's downtown area should start by the end of this year. The casino is to open in 2009.

Weaver said another series of meetings will be held later this month to look at issues such as internal layout to improve traffic flows, creating more interest along the building's facade and adding entry points.

"We know we want to be in the ground this year," he said, referring to the start of construction.

"We have to start to put in the foundations because the critical path to getting it open in 2009 says we have to start piling for the hotel towers."

Sands in May beat Las Vegas rivals MGM Mirage and Harrah's Entertainment and Malaysia's Genting International for the right to build the casino on Marina Bay with its overall proposal aimed at strengthening Singapore's position as a top conventions destination.

The US gaming operator, which already has an Asian presence in the southern Chinese enclave of Macau, will invest more than S$5 billion (US$3.18 billion) into the casino resort, making it one of the most expensive projects of its kind.

Weaver said there was already keen interest from players in the meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions (MICE) industry and foreign retailers to be involved in the project.

Singapore has also invited bids for its second casino project on Sentosa island. The bidding will close on October 10 and the winner will be announced by the end of the year.

One of the bidders, Bahamas-based Kerzner International and its local partner, real estate developer CapitaLand, disclosed on Tuesday the appointment of celebrated architect Frank Gehry as the principal designer of its proposed Sentosa project.

Gehry, whose world-famous designs include the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain, is a winner of the Pritzker Architecture Prize modelled on the Nobel awards. - AFP/de

Copyright © 2006 MCN International Pte Ltd

the skypark is a good idea.. the rest.. not sure.

The Skypark will be great coz a beautiful Singapore skyline,
the triple building together with a flat roof structure seem ugry,
the three dooms also unattractive.

A rendering of it with the future skyline by the bay.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v133/RafflesCity/mbrender.jpg

I supposed this is the view from Swissotel.....:D

yah it is :yes:

and it doesnt seem like the blade of the skypark is aiming at anyone!

A rendering of it with the future skyline by the bay.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v133/RafflesCity/mbrender.jpg
Those skyscrapers almost have the same heght. Something iconic is needed.

Very..'un-Singaporean'.

Those skyscrapers almost have the same heght. Something iconic is needed.

The planning intention is to develop the waterfront sites first as seen in the rendering above.

Taller skyscrapers will go behind the first layer and I think that would be visually more dramatic and harmonious:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v133/RafflesCity/irmodel6.jpg

really looking forward 2 it .... cant wait till it's raising v^_^v

July 17, 2006
Taubman still keen on S'pore despite IR mall failure
US retail developerseeking projects where it can build shopping centres

By Kelvin Han

UNITED States retail developer Taubman Centers is still eyeing opportunities to break into Singapore's retail landscape, despite its disappointment at failing to secure a planned mall at the Marina Bay integrated resort (IR).

Mr Morgan Parker, president of the company's unit Taubman Asia, told The Straits Times last week that the company is looking for development projects where it can build shopping centres.

Opportunities exist here for retail developers as there is demand for well-conceived malls, he said in the interview.

'We were disappointed to miss out on the Marina IR opportunity, because Singapore is a developer's dream, with sophisticated retailers and consumers but with a limited supply of good-quality retail space,' he said.

Founded in 1950 and listed as a real estate investment trust on the New York Stock Exchange, Taubman has a network of malls across the US.

It had plans to set up its maiden project here with a lavish mall in the IR planned by Keppel Land and Harrah's Entertainment.

But the Keppel-Harrah's consortium failed to secure the site, which went to Las Vegas Sands.

Nevertheless, Taubman remains on the lookout for attractive opportunities that are 'profitable and sustainable', he said.

It prefers to enter the Singapore market by building its own malls, rather than by acquiring an existing retail development, he added.

He said that this was because Taubman stands to make higher returns by building a mall from the ground up as 'owners of successful malls, even if they were willing to sell, will ask for a premium'.

When asked if Taubman is interested in trying for the other IR, at Sentosa, Mr Parker said that even though Keppel Land and Harrah's may be considering a bid, Taubman is not likely to be involved.

Given Sentosa's proximity to the VivoCity retail complex, which meets much of the area's retail needs, the IR may feature only a small retail development, he said.

As Taubman hunts for opportunities in Singapore, it is already spreading its wings to the rest of the region.

Its first project in Asia, a year after entering the region, is a large-scale development in South Korea. It is developing the retail portion of the US$20 billion (S$31.9 billion) New Songdo City project in Incheon that is set to be completed in 2009.

It is also actively participating in another project in the Greater Tokyo region in Japan, Mr Parker said.

The company will also be leveraging on its casino retail expertise, after its successful partnerships with MGM and Caesars in Las Vegas and Atlantic City, respectively, to seek an opportunity to play a role in an IR project in Macau.

With the vast potential in this region, especially in India, China, Macau, Japan and South Korea, Taubman is likely to be completing around a dozen projects in these places in the next 10 years, he said.

kelhan@sph.com.sg

Copyright © 2006 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.

The planning intention is to develop the waterfront sites first as seen in the rendering above.

Taller skyscrapers will go behind the first layer and I think that would be visually more dramatic and harmonious:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v133/RafflesCity/irmodel6.jpg

Hmm, this would be nice when it's all done. :okay: :cool:

Wow! So that's what that huge piece of land along East Coast Pkwy is for! I hope they line the bay with restaurants and amusement areas...much like a bigger and better version of Clark Quay...LOL

I like this project very much! Really impressive! Go Singapore!

Business Times - 25 Jul 2006

Investors will queue up to finance IR: banker

By ARTHUR SIM

US CAPITAL markets are very bullish on gaming stock. It seems all a casino operator needs to do is say the word and money comes flooding in.

UBS managing director (head of US gaming and leisure) James Stewart said that in March it helped MGM Grand raise US$750 million in just one day.

In 2000, when MGM was looking to raise US$850 million - a deal he also worked on - it took a gruelling two-and-a-half weeks of road shows and investor meetings.

The market cap for the largest US gaming company went from US$730.7 million in 1989 to US$25.4 billion today, he said.

Looking back, Mr Stewart also notes with some irony that in the 1960s and 1970s, there were very few banks that would lend money to the gaming industry.

'There is a flood of capital today. The question is just what rates you want to give . . . and rates have never been better.'

At the moment, Mr Stewart said that these rates are about 6 per cent, regardless of whether the gaming stock is of investment grade or not.

In the US, only Harrahs Entertainment's stock is of investment grade.

Mr Stewart was in Singapore to speak at the 11th Annual Asian Casinos Executive Summit. Speaking to BT, he said there would be no lack of interest from institutional investors for Las Vegas Sands' upcoming Marina Bay Sands, stopping short of saying if UBS has had any discussions with the integrated resort operator.

Much of Mr Stewart's enthusiasm comes from the success of Macau, and the many new developments there. On a recent trip there, he was amazed to see people lining up to gamble at the casino tables.

As such, competition with Singapore is inevitable although Mr Stewart adds: 'When you look at the amount of supply versus the population (in Asia), this region has an immense way to go before competition starts to have an adverse effect.'

Mr Stewart also argues that competition is good. 'The value of the enterprise in Macau is larger now than when there was only a sole licensee.'

Similarly in Las Vegas, he points out that it was the Mirage Hotel built by Steve Wynn at a cost of US$630 million in 1989 (a very large amount at the time) that resuscitated life on The Strip there. 'When you have a situation with less critical mass, you can't create enough buzz,' he added.

It becomes clear Mr Stewart does not see Asia's gaming industry starting in Macau and ending in Singapore. 'I would be surprised if other governments are not looking at Singapore now.'

Existing data shows that Korea's gaming industry is worth US$1.5 billion. Philippines' is worth US$750 million while even Cambodia has a gaming industry worth around US$600-700 million. Thailand and Taiwan are also said to be climbing on the bandwagon.

'Will other countries follow Singapore's lead and set up smaller casinos faster? It is hard to predict,' he said.

Copyright © 2005 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. All rights reserved.

I love the whole Logan's run feel of this whole project. I can't wait to go to "Carousel"!

This story was printed from TODAYonline

The Sands of time run well ahead

Construction starts next year but the IR is already busy with pre-sales

Friday • August 4, 2006

Val Chua
Deputy News Editor
val@newstoday.com.sg

The Marina Bay Sands will start construction early next year, and activities have been ramped up to pre-sell convention and retail space, said the casino operator's president yesterday.

"Our construction and development teams have been on the ground in Singapore and have significantly advanced our pre-construction activities. We expect to break ground on The Marina Bay Sands in early 2007," said Mr William Weidner, also Las Vegas Sands' chief operating officer, in announcing the company's second-quarter results in Las Vegas.

He said The Marina Bay Sands — from its office in Republic Plaza — has begun pre-marketing activities to fill its 1.2 million sq ft of convention space and pre-leasing activities to fill its mall here.

Sands beat three rivals to win the Marina Bay site in May, promising a conventions-based proposal that includes 2,500 hotel rooms, 1 million sq ft of retail space, three large entertainment venues and a casino.

The $5.05-billion integrated resort — expected to hire a staff of 10,400 when it opens — will be launched in 2009.

In delivering its second-quarter results, the casino player reported a 27-per-cent surge in net profit to US$109.3 million ($172.6 million), boosted by a record performance at its Macau operations.

Group revenue gained 30 per cent to US$517 million.

Its Asian performance — where Sands is expanding in Macau — eclipsed that of its flagship The Venetian in Las Vegas.

While The Sands Macao saw a gain in profit of 44 per cent and will expand its gaming capacity by more than one-third next month, profit for The Venetian fell 10 per cent due to lower gaming revenue and higher personnel costs.

"We are continuing to make progress in Macau at all levels. We are particularly pleased with the continued strength of our mass-market business," said Mr Weidner.

Its Macau operation has delivered a record win per table per day, despite significant table capacity increases for both The Sands and the Macau market overall, he said, adding that VIP business also more than doubled.

In all, it is building or plans to build on seven sites on Macau's Cotai Strip, spending more than US$8 billion in Macau and a neighbouring Chinese island over the next four to six years.

Sands is planning to develop another casino on China's Hengqin Island and is also in discussions with Japanese officials to build the nation's first casinos, should Japan lift its ban.

Copyright MediaCorp Press Ltd. All rights reserved.

am I the only who thinks this thing is kinda...eeeewww.

This story was printed from TODAYonline

The Sands of time run well ahead

Construction starts next year but the IR is already busy with pre-sales

Friday • August 4, 2006

......

Sands is planning to develop another casino on China's Hengqin Island and is also in discussions with Japanese officials to build the nation's first casinos, should Japan lift its ban.

Copyright MediaCorp Press Ltd. All rights reserved.

I believe the Venetian development on Hengqin Island, Zhuhai of China should be resort facilities; Central Gov't of Mainland China will definitely disapprove any gambling business inside Mainland.

Business Times - 05 Aug 2006

Restaurants fear cost push from IRs

Staff poaching, wage rise, competition for customers among worries about integrated resorts

By MATTHEW PHAN

(SINGAPORE) Private restaurant groups are worried about the Marina Bay and Sentosa integrated resorts (IRs) driving up staff costs and competing for customers, despite the hype surrounding the economic benefits the casinos are expected to bring.

Owners have told BT the IRs will increase demand for staff, leading to higher operating costs for existing businesses, and higher prices for customers.

Envisioning a rather fearful scenario, Tung Lok Group's Andrew Tjioe said: 'With the high employment demand and more generous remuneration packages from both IRs, there will be a major movement of staff and eventual hollowing-out of the mainland if not kept in check.

'In their bid to retain staff, the various sectors will need to adjust their remuneration terms, which in turn increases their operating expenses and consumers will have to bear higher prices.'

Roberto Galetti, general manager and executive chef at the Garibaldi Group of restaurants, said: 'A serious worry is staff - we struggle to retain our well-trained staff as there is a shortage of available talent in the market. With these big tourist attractions, the numbers of staff they will need to recruit is enormous.

'The Ministry of Manpower has mentioned an increase in foreign workers allowed, but it leaves us with a difficult task: Where and how do we even find this talent? Will we have to make expensive trips abroad? Interviews? And housing? Salaries will have to be reviewed and if you are not big enough, hurdles like these could make you fall.'

But Devin Kimble, founder of Brewerkz, Cafe Iguana and Wine Garage at Clarke Quay, said hawker centres will be the most affected.

Once the IRs are up and running, this will raise wages across the board, which will draw younger folk away from hawker stalls, where they have to put in long hours to succeed. And older hawkers may prefer to work for companies that provide benefits.

The net result will be to free up labour for higher-end restaurants overall, Mr Kimble believes.

Rising costs are also due on the Singapore F&B scene, he said. 'Our consumers are getting a great deal. I'm currently in Chicago and I know that food of the quality I'm serving in my restaurants is reaping much higher revenue here in the States.'

Other restaurateurs worry about losing customers. Recalling Melbourne's experience when the Crown Casino opened there in 1992, Michael Ma, founder of the IndoChine Group, claimed: 'Restaurants within a 20 to 25 minutes drive were all affected in the first 18 months. Anything outside was too far to travel, so people stayed at local bars and restaurants,' he said.

'If the IRs compete on a fair basis, then they will be good for the industry. But if they subsidise and give away freebies like free tickets, hotel space or sending private jets to pick customers up, then it could be very difficult. As they run on a different revenue model - - their income stream is not F&B whereas ours is - this might be quite likely.'

But Mr Kimble dismisses such concerns. 'I foresee a situation like the construction of the Hong Kong airport where a large number of foreigners came to work on the project and buoyed the entire F&B industry there,' he said.

He also said Melbourne continues to have a thriving F&B culture, with famous restaurants operating successfully before and after Crown Casino was built, and that Las Vegas is also full of operators who are not attached to the gaming sector.

'The argument about casino operators using gambling revenues to subsidise F&B is not particularly strong,' he said.

'They have no reason to charge prices that don't offer an economic return. Where Las Vegas casinos have used cut-rate prices to attract people for gaming, this model won't work in Singapore because the locals have to pay a 'licence' to play. And the IRs aren't targeted at customers who come to eat half-priced chilli crab.'

Operators agree that the IRs will raise professional standards, but each feels their business is competitive enough to survive.

'Day-to-day business will drop, but one of our revenue sources is hosting corporate events,' IndoChine's Mr Ma said.

'Companies that want to demonstrate corporate social responsibility could have ethics about gambling and may not use casinos for such events, so we effectively have a different clientele.'

Similarly, Emerald Hill Group's marketing communications manager Francesca Liam said: 'There will be a greater variety of entertainment available, but each of our outlets has a different character. For example, Coastes, our outlet on Sentosa, draws people who want to enjoy the beach and the casinos won't affect us.'

According to the Marina Bay Sands IR fact sheet, Las Vegas Sands plans new restaurants featuring international celebrity chefs, as well as 117,100 square metres of new shops. In comparison, Suntec City Mall has 77,361 sq m of lettable retail space, while the Marina Square shopping mall has 65,055 sq m.

'As a committed long term partner for Singapore's business community, we aim to complement the existing landscape and contribute to increasing the total pie and benefit the retail and F&B industry overall,' Marina Bay Sands added.

Copyright © 2005 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. All rights reserved.

http://static.flickr.com/71/211644445_6468276240_o.jpg

^^It looks so futuristic.

Holy damn!:eek:

Business Times - 23 Aug 2006

Sands signs pact to build US$3.2b S'pore IR

SINGAPORE - US gaming operator Las Vegas Sands signed an agreement with the Singapore government on Wednesday to build a US$3.2 billion integrated resort (IR), the first in the city-state, three months after winning the bid. The signing of the 'development agreement' with the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) marked the formal turnover of the site on downtown Marina Bay so that construction work can start.

Marina Bay Sands, as the IR project is called, will open in 2009 and will feature a casino and other facilities like hotels, retail shops and restaurants. There will also be a 1.08 million-sq ft space for meetings, incentive travel, conventions and exhibitions (Mice) to accommodate up to 52,000 people, making it one of the largest such facilities in Asia. Sands has also said it will build an 'ArtScience Museum' and a rooftop 'sky park' about 50 storeys high.

Las Vegas Sands in May beat US rivals MGM Mirage and Harrah's Entertainment and Malaysia's Genting International for the right to build the project with its overall proposal aimed at strengthening Singapore's position as a top meeting and conventions destination. The US gaming giant plans to spend more than $5 billion (US$3.2 billion) for the project, one of the biggest investments in the world for a single casino project.

'The development of the Marina Bay Sands is an important project for the STB, as well as for Singapore's tourism industry and economy,' said Tourism Board Chief Executive Lim Neo Chian. He said that by 2015, the casino resort is projected to contribute US$2.7 billion annually to the national gross domestic product and create 30,000 jobs. Singapore aims to double tourist arrivals to 17 million by 2015, and the IR project is a key magnet.

Las Vegas Sands said it has already begun pre-construction work and also started pre-marketing activities to ensure a steady pipeline of Mice activities once the resort opens. 'The Marina Bay Sands is on track and on target to be launched in 2009 as planned,' said William Weidner, Las Vegas Sands President and Chief Operating Officer. -- AFP

Copyright © 2005 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. All rights reserved.

Business Times - 24 Aug 2006

Sands quick to line up MICE deals for S'pore IR

By ARTHUR SIM

(SINGAPORE) With three years to go before Las Vegas Sands opens its planned integrated resort at Marina Bay, the company's chairman and chief executive yesterday said that it was already lining up 20 or more MICE (meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions) events, including one which could bring in 16,000 delegates.

The huge extra capacity at the new resort could mean exhibitions already being planned for other Singapore venues being poached, a suggestion which Sands chief, Sheldon Adelson, countered with the statement: 'Competition is a good thing.'

Mr Adelson was in Singapore yesterday for the Signing of Development Agreement ceremony for the Marina Bay Sands. It also involved the paying of $1.3 billion for the development site.

The Marina Bay Sands will have 110,390 sq m of gross floor area dedicated to MICE, which will almost double Singapore's available convention space.

Eric Bello, vice-president of sales at Sands, who was also at the ceremony, said that it was looking at specific sectors for business including pharmaceuticals, IT, automotive and finance industries.

He also said that it had been in discussions with event organisers like Singapore Exhibition Services (SES) and Terrapin. He did qualify his remarks by saying that 'not every event will be a CommunicAsia'.

The SES-organised show is currently one of Singapore's largest MICE events.

'There will be a series of corporate meetings that will fill the space mid-week,' he added, highlighting that Marina Bay Sands will have 200 meeting rooms.

Dog-eat-dog competition in the exhibitions trade means that margins are often stripped to the bone. Mr Adelson said that in his time as an organiser for computer fair Comdex, the cost of the convention centre facility was only 2.5 per cent of his total income.

Sands was the first foreign operator to be licensed to build a casino in Macau, where the company has already lined up 26 MICE events, even though there has been market talk that Sands has been offering free convention space to attract events.

'They don't know what they are talking about,' Mr Adelson said - although he did state that it will be cheaper to hold an event in Macau than across the bay in Hong Kong.

'What really counts is not the price but the ability to attract people to that venue,' he added.

The Sands team has meanwhile begun talking to members of the local construction industry about building the resort, which is intended to open in 2009.

John Downs, senior project manager from Sands's Venetian Macau, who will oversee the construction of the Marina Bay Sands, said that it was in the process of evaluating four Singapore construction firms for various parcels of the site, but is at the same time looking at international firms as well.

Mr Downs added that soil testing will proceed next week and that foundation works or 'ground breaking' should start later this year.

A role for Sands's one-time partner in the Marina Bay IR bid, City Developments Ltd (CDL) now seems less likely.

Sands COO William Weidner warmly thanked CDL chairman Kwek Leng Beng for his help in the run-up to the winning bid. Mr Kwek was present at the ceremony but left as soon as it was over.

Later, Mr Adelson said that Mr Kwek's involvement 'will not be profit motivated, it will be civically motivated'.

He added: '(Mr Kwek) has become a good friend. As a Singaporean, he wants to see the project succeed to the extent that if he and his organisation can help, he will do it.'

One area in which Mr Kwek will not be able to help is in lining up an apartment for Mr Adelson and his wife Miriam at CDL's The Sail @ Marina Bay development.

Mr Adelson said: 'My wife has been looking for a home but we have been told all units at The Sail are sold, so we'll have to look to the resale market.'

Copyright © 2005 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. All rights reserved.

Business Times - 23 Oct 2006

Singapore open to the possibility of more IRs

It's 'inevitable' for Asia to tap gaming for revenue: MM

By DANIEL BUENAS
IN LAS VEGAS

SINGAPORE has not ruled out the possibility of allowing more integrated resorts (IRs) in the long term, and the government intends to 'wait and see' in the next five years before considering the option, Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew said yesterday.

There is also an 'inevitable progression' for countries in the region to tap into gaming as a source of revenue, and the IRs could play a 'substantial role' in increasing the country's business travel and meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions (MICE) business, he added.

Mr Lee - who was speaking to Singapore journalists in Las Vegas as part of the final leg of his two-week long trip to the US - said the government would reconsider the option of allowing more IRs at a future date. 'I think the present plan is to see how they work out over the next five years and then decide,' he said. 'If there is this surge of MICE, travel and entertainment, and gambling in the casinos, then there will be suggestions from many other operators who didn't get in on the two bids to open further bids. But we'll see. Let's wait and see.'

Under the rules and conditions set out by the government for the IRs, operators of the two casinos will have a 30-year casino concession period, with a 10-year exclusivity period for their casino licences.

According to Mr Lee, the move to allow IRs was a 'bet on the future', and he had not expected the bidders for the two resorts to make such large bets on Singapore - bids for both Sentosa and Marina have topped $5 billion.

Mr Lee, who is on his first visit to Las Vegas, noted that Singapore was very different from Las Vegas, adding that he doesn't see gaming hub Macau as a threat to Singapore.

'I have not seen a drop in visitorship to Las Vegas because of Macau, and I think that those who are making their bets on Singapore believe that, after a while, people who go to Macau will get a bit bored with Macau,' Mr Lee said. 'After all, if you've not seen Singapore and you've seen Macau so many times, why not Singapore, especially if the hotels are cheap but super luxurious, and (offer) fine service and a different environment.'

Other countries in Asia too, Mr Lee believes, will eventually tap into gaming as a source of revenue.

'I see this as an inevitable progression throughout most of Asia,' he said.

'Nobody is going to be deprived of this source of revenue, except where they have profound religious, or other inhibitions against it.' During his visit to Las Vegas, Mr Lee met with senior casino executives, including Sheldon Adelson, chairman of Las Vegas Sands which won the Marina Bay IR bid with its US$3.6 billion proposal.

In his discussions with Mr Adelson, Mr Lee said that it was revealed that Mr Adelson expects the vast majority of visitors to the Marina Bay IR to be non-domestic, unlike in his Las Vegas development where some 90 per cent of visitors are American.

'He believes there is a large, already existing demand, that will fill up his convention halls and the entertainment he has to offer,' Mr Lee said. 'If he succeeds in his estimation of the clientele, then I think the IR will play a substantial role in increasing our business travel and MICE (business).'

Besides touring the Sands' flagship property in Las Vegas - The Venetian - Mr Lee also met with casino mogul Steve Wynn. He was also hosted to a tour of the New York New York casino by Mark Advent, chairman of Eighth Wonder.

On the Sentosa bid, Mr Lee said: 'It's their bet, what they think will bring returns, and we have to judge which of the bets are most likely to come off.'

Copyright © 2005 Singapore Press Holdings Ltd. All rights reserved.

Marina Bay Sands, works commenced! :banana:


Shot by RafflesCity from Temasek Tower:

18 November 2006

a look at the site. Work activity will intensify soon.

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j67/RCSSC/tview2.jpg

wow pile testing already in progress :) good good ....

its just only about to start...once the contractor has secured all the space they need around the site for storage (this involves coordinating with other contractors who are also building projects nearby and who also need space to store their material and remove earth) they can really start full works in earnest.

With an aim to complete in 2009/2010, they will definitely be pushing aggressively to build this fast. :yes:

Simultaneously, a new subway line, station and bridge will be built through the site. It will be one heck of a busy site.

wow, wonderful project, love it!

its just only about to start...once the contractor has secured all the space they need around the site for storage (this involves coordinating with other contractors who are also building projects nearby and who also need space to store their material and remove earth) they can really start full works in earnest.

With an aim to complete in 2009/2010, they will definitely be pushing aggressively to build this fast. :yes:

Simultaneously, a new subway line, station and bridge will be built through the site. It will be one heck of a busy site.

The new road too?

The new road too?

yup the pedestrian bridge also comes with a vehicular bridge

By raptorsuperb:

http://static.flickr.com/107/305301197_a308424b40_o.jpg

Marina Bay Sands project on track to open mid-2009

8 February 2007

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/imagegallery/store/phpknvWEf.jpg

SINGAPORE : The S$5 billion Marina Bay Sands project is forging ahead on many fronts, barely nine months after US-based company Las Vegas Sands was awarded the tender to build one of two integrated resorts in Singapore.

At a ceremony to mark a development milestone at the site on Thursday, Sands said it was committed to deliver on its promise of creating jobs and boosting visitor arrivals.

Las Vegas Sands has set its sight on being a part of Singapore's transformation into a global city, promising to offer a range of well paying and good quality jobs to Singaporeans.

It is expected to hire over 10,000 people, with the majority of the positions going to locals.

Much of the recruitment will be done at a later stage, but the operator is hoping to build up a database of potential employees by participating in a job fair next month.

It is also committed to re-skill workers and recruit older people.

Sheldon Adelson, Chairman & CEO, Las Vegas Sands, said, "It occurred to me to ask what the perception of older people are here, they said 40s and 50s. We think (people in their) 40s and 50s are probably the best employees..."

The operator is currently in negotiations with 15 international organisations on holding their conferences at the resort.

Its meeting, convention and exhibition space is also proving to be popular, with booking enquiries lined up till 2013.

Sands said it might consider expanding its MICE capacity.

On the retail front, it is working with leasing specialists in the US, Europe and Asia.

The Las Vegas Sands team has received interest from over 250 prospective tenants for retail and F&B space at the resort.

So far, some 400 brands and concepts have been pitched and the Las Vegas Sands team expects this to go up to 700 concepts by the middle of the year.

The question now is in selecting the right tenant mix.

The resort will add 2,500 premium hotel rooms to the market.

And Sands is confident occupancy rate will match that of its Las Vegas properties, at 95 to 97 percent.

William Weidner, President & COO, Las Vegas Sands, said, "We've signed up 56 different tour organisations that are interested in IR packaging process. The good thing about what we are doing in this process is - now we get to vet which of those are most successful in filling the room blocks and the quality of the people that they bring."

There were some early glitches during construction; extra work to remove large rocks underground, and Indonesia's ban on sand export pushing up costs of sand from alternative sources by 15 to 30 percent due to transportation costs.

But these have been budgeted for, with 5-10 percent of the budget being set aside for unforeseen circumstances.

And the project is set to lift the construction sector and boost tourism.

National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan said, "Its successful award has created confidence, confidence that we are prepared to change, prepared to take risk(s), and to reach consensus on a difficult decision and to move."

Marina Bay Sands is on track to open in the second half of 2009.

The operator anticipates it will make up a third of Sands' total operations.


By Wong Siew Ying, Channel NewsAsia

2 March 2007

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j67/RCSSC/mbs0203.jpg

Wow so many cranes! Simultaneous construction of DTE and CST2?

Wow so many cranes! Simultaneous construction of DTE and CST2?

CST2 is well underway and should complete in 1 or 2 years time. DTE subway :cheers: construction has not started I believe, and when it does, throw in more activity! It really is a task for all vested parties to coordinate their work.

CST2 is well underway and should complete in 1 or 2 years time. DTE subway :cheers: construction has not started I believe, and when it does, throw in more activity! It really is a task for all vested parties to coordinate their work.

Shouldn't DTE line and IR be built at same time? Before IR turns into a huge and dense construction site. :ohno:

I don't see how constructing this in 2-3 years is feasible.

This project SEEMS huge!

I like it though..very innovative and unique.

Hijacked from Tamago:D

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v637/tamagoo/may07/may06-05.jpg

... is it just me, or is would anybody else be far too scared to play in a park that's FIFTY FLOORS HIGH?

I'd be frightened of a big wind coming along and blowing me into the marina...

... is it just me, or is would anybody else be far too scared to play in a park that's FIFTY FLOORS HIGH?

I'd be frightened of a big wind coming along and blowing me into the marina...

This isnt the only one in Singapore.

There is a new 50-storey residential development, with a skygarden linking 7 blocks at the rooftop. Gradually, rooftop gardens are becoming an increasing part of highrise design here.

... is it just me, or is would anybody else be far too scared to play in a park that's FIFTY FLOORS HIGH?

I'd be frightened of a big wind coming along and blowing me into the marina...

The only thing we worry about is if somebody spits on the skygarden along the edge and the wind makes the saliva splat on the windows below :D

The only thing we worry about is if somebody spits on the skygarden along the edge and the wind makes the saliva splat on the windows below :D

aiyah...it will probably evaporate by then, or if not, the towers will probably have sophisticated window cleaning machines....dont think they will ever allow a dirty building to become an eyesore in downtown Singapore!

You Singaporean guys are crazy :nuts:

I suppose building parklands atop of skyscrapers is a nice way of keeping you 'Garden City' tag. But I'd rather sit around Clarke Quay drinking slings, I'm too scared of heights to go up there :)

^^ You can go to the skygarden at night so its less scary.:)
But clarke quay is awesome at night too:cheers: .......

The skypark is not a real park, its just facilities for the hotel guests, like a 300m long infinity pool, and observation decks + restaurants for public.

The skypark is not a real park, its just facilities for the hotel guests, like a 300m long infinity pool, and observation decks + restaurants for public.

Observation deck & restaurants?? Aiyo....that means must pay.....:bash:

^^ Since when was a Casino a charittable organisation? :lol:

BTW, how can they open the IR in 2009? They seams to have just started the ground work and who know when they'll start building the towers themselfs. And then is the furbishing of the place. ... well you get the idea.

Observation deck & restaurants?? Aiyo....that means must pay.....:bash:

I will get the cheapest drink in the restaurant just to go up.:lol:

BTW, how can they open the IR in 2009? They seams to have just started the ground work and who know when they'll start building the towers themselfs. And then is the furbishing of the place. ... well you get the idea.

It will be very tight and the site conditions are challenging, but the developer is particularly aggressive to open on time. I suppose 2010 is also reasonable :)

^^ With 2000 hotel rooms to furbish, they can't do it even if the construction is completed in 2008 (which is both teorically and practically impossible). Add also the Casino on the equation and things become even more blurry.

We have learned one thing in our part of the forum: the developer will always talk obvious BS to take the sale. ;)

If it was just three residential towers, 2009 might have been possible (teorically): 2000 hotel rooms and a Casino: No Way.

^^ With 2000 hotel rooms to furbish, they can't do it even if the construction is completed in 2008 (which is both teorically and practically impossible). Add also the Casino on the equation and things become even more blurry.

We have learned one thing in our part of the forum: the developer will always talk obvious BS to take the sale. ;)

If it was just three residential towers, 2009 might have been possible (teorically): 2000 hotel rooms and a Casino: No Way.

IF i am not mistaken, Sands brought their own developer instead doing some tendering process to build this IR. So chances of them pulling this off will be higher because they have to be really good then.

other reasons that they will have to keep pushing to meet the deadline is 1) even one day delay will cost tens of miilions of loss revenue from the casinos.
2) I think it is in the contract that says they must open in 2009. Even if it is not, they have promised to do so and it is not very wise to disappoint the Singapore govenrment:)

But i guess even after the rubbish i wrote above, time will ultimately tell.
I bet USD5 bucks with you that they will make it in 2009 :D deal?

^^ Ok, deal: if you win I even double. :D

^^ Ok, deal: if you win I even double. :D

Y not:D I think i will win:lol:

I think this project will not be able to finish in early 2009 but late 2009. Or they may open the whole complex in phases...at least part of the whole complex can operate by 2009. I guess the whole complete one will finish by early 2010. The complex is under construction now, and the piling works seem almost done, once its done, the buildings will start rising quickly. But of course I wont want them to rush...its better to build at normal pace without any mistakes...

I have seen countless construction sites (well Dubai, no...) and I can say that there's a huge number of piling rigs on site, more then I have ever seen in any site in here, which suggest the developer is really committed to do things fast.

Me seams to have a particular interest when it comes to piling, so I was wondering: As far as I know Singapore's soil is clay-like and not stable which would call for deep piles. Considering the proximity to the water, the water table must be high on the area, and a relatively thick foundation would be needed on top of the piles caps.

Are they planning to have any underground floors?

It is difficult to understand that from the pictures. You can see that they haven't dug up the plot and are working in grade level, but that doesn't mean anything, since they might be using the "deep pile inserting" technique and if so they'll dig up when piling is completed.

By the other hand I think I am seeing something that look like static test on piles (basically they put heavy blocks of concrete over a pile an measure the movements or any unusual force developed on that particular pile). If so, that might suggest they aren't going to dig and there will be no underground floors.

Sorry for my long and probably strange (to some) rant, but between the two options above there’s a difference of 2 – 3 months worth of work. :cheers:

Now it is may 2007 so if you assume they want to finish by december 2009 it is still more than two years and a half of construction. Although I agree this is a tight schedule, we have some examples of towers taller than this one that have popped up in shorter time spans. The most obvious one I can think of, maybe, would be Dubai's Millenium Tower. You're right about the soil conditions, though, as far as I know, typical piling depth for reclaimed land in Singapore is 50-80m.

On another hand, Sands is not a very tall tower, and they could have a some good cards in their hands, strategy-wise (remember those people are in the gaming business ^ ^ ). The tower could be built all steel, in which case they can build faster, or they can open in phases, with the buildings still uncompleted when they open the casino and the hotel.

All in all I think they have a reasonable chance to make it by the deadline, so I'll place my bet on Kurakura's side ;-)

Singapore is so amazing

nice shots! tamago.. do you mind i ask what the name of the font u used is? where can i find such font?

Now it is may 2007 so if you assume they want to finish by december 2009 it is still more than two years and a half of construction. Although I agree this is a tight schedule, we have some examples of towers taller than this one that have popped up in shorter time spans. The most obvious one I can think of, maybe, would be Dubai's Millenium Tower. You're right about the soil conditions, though, as far as I know, typical piling depth for reclaimed land in Singapore is 50-80m.

On another hand, Sands is not a very tall tower, and they could have a some good cards in their hands, strategy-wise (remember those people are in the gaming business ^ ^ ). The tower could be built all steel, in which case they can build faster, or they can open in phases, with the buildings still uncompleted when they open the casino and the hotel.

All in all I think they have a reasonable chance to make it by the deadline, so I'll place my bet on Kurakura's side ;-)

My biggest concearn for meeting the deadline lays with the fact that it is a Casino and Hotel complex. It will take a very long time to furbish the place.

I also know that DP Architects won the design concept competition less then a year ago, and they are still working on them (both 2 IR) so I presume these will be (I don't remember the exact term) design-as-yu-build, meaning while they build the bottom section, the top is still being designed and changes might be done in the design.

I doubt DPA is doing also the structural design, so who's doing it? Meinhard maybe?

I think this project will not be able to finish in early 2009 but late 2009. Or they may open the whole complex in phases...at least part of the whole complex can operate by 2009. I guess the whole complete one will finish by early 2010. The complex is under construction now, and the piling works seem almost done, once its done, the buildings will start rising quickly. But of course I wont want them to rush...its better to build at normal pace without any mistakes...

Open in phases?Probable but highly unlikely:)

One of the promises made(again, not sure if it is in the contract) is that Sands will open in one go.This is also one of the reason y MGM and Harrah lost the bid because those two have phased openings.

This is pretty genius actually, I think it's design is excellent. Besides that, Singapore is one of my favorite cities in existence so, I can't complain.

They are still rushing at night to meet the deadline

http://www.pbase.com/gomus/image/78591981/large.jpg

They are still rushing at night to meet the deadline

http://www.pbase.com/gomus/image/78591981/large.jpg

yo AltinD....those Sands guys working 24/7 ..:lol:
looks like they really desperate to make in by 2009 :D

^^ Good for them ... and if they meet the deadline, good for you also. :D

Are they planning to have any underground floors?


Yes. If I recall there will be 5 basement levels. Also, there will be a new subway station serving the site.

Would compliment F1 very well!

If only our urban development was faster, like Dubai. :lol:

Would compliment F1 very well!

If only our urban development was faster, like Dubai. :lol:

I suppose there will be more hotels beside the Sands so as to accomodate more tourists.....:yes:

Yes. If I recall there will be 5 basement levels. Also, there will be a new subway station serving the site.

Hm ... that would makes the 2009 completion date even more unlikely.

Hm ... that would makes the 2009 completion date even more unlikely.

unlikely doesnt mean impossible :D

Hm ... that would makes the 2009 completion date even more unlikely.

Let them surprise us. There seriously is a lot of construction equipment on site. At any other site, you don't see activity 24/7 and so much equipment. And even at peak construction times, you even see little activity on other construction sites.

The subway station will not be built by 2009 so no issue there. They "jus" have to build the towers and the convention centres.

Let them surprise us. There seriously is a lot of construction equipment on site. At any other site, you don't see activity 24/7 and so much equipment. And even at peak construction times, you even see little activity on other construction sites.

The subway station will not be built by 2009 so no issue there. They "jus" have to build the towers and the convention centres.

With the F1 crowd coming, it make sense that they fast track IR & subway construction.....:yes:

somemore renderings

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v427/rotpics03/sands2.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v427/rotpics03/sands3.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v427/rotpics03/sands4.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v427/rotpics03/sands.jpg

Fabulous....:eek:

General video update on all the developments around marina bay. Kinda old, sorry!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWMBSXmOO3c

CSC Holdings bags contract from Marina Bay Sands

21 May 07

SINGAPORE : CSC Holdings has been awarded a contract by Marina Bay Sands.

This is part of the project for the Marina Bay Sands Integrated Resort.

Under the contract, CSC will carry out the piling works and build the diaphragm walls for the north podium.

The contract is worth S$240 million.

Works are scheduled to begin next month and are expected to be completed in February next year.


By Loh Kim Chin, Channel NewsAsia

Looks like Im going to my 5 bucks from AltinD :D
------------------------------------------------------------------

SINGAPORE : The S$5 billion Marina Bay Sands project is on track to be completed by the second half of 2009.

This is despite the recent sand ban and disruption in the supply of granite.

Meanwhile, according to project designer and architect Moshe Safdie, some of the original designs have been updated.

The new addition to Singapore's cityscape is a mammoth task, especially given obstacles such as rising costs and a shortage of manpower.

But the man behind the design of this project remains unfazed.

Mr Moshe Safdie said, "It's one of those things that happen when you take a project of such a scale. It certainly didn't make it easier for us. Marina Bay Sands is looking for alternative sources as everybody else is and we'll keep going and overcome the issue."

He also said some of the designs have evolved since they were first conceptualised - like the Art-Science museum.

He said, "The form of the Art-Science museum was free form. We spent months making it a very orderly mathematical structure of spheroids which makes it a sounder structure, cheaper to build and I think more beautiful at the same time."

And beauty comes at a price.

Mr Moshe Safdie said, "The first shock and surprise is when we started excavating and we found the old sea wall which used to be the wave break which used to protect the boats in the bay. And we've had to remove that and it's been an extremely costly and complicated process."

Las Vegas Sands signed an agreement with the Singapore government in May last year, to build a S$5 billion (US$3.2 billion) integrated resort, three months after winning the bid. - CNA/ms

^^ Are 10 if you win, remember?

Great news. This project will diversify Singapore's offering to tourists and will help to correct the long mistaken idea that Singapore is a boring, sterile, or restrictive place. For too long Singapore's image abroad has been muddied because "you can't chew gum" or "you'll get caned for grafitti - remember that American boy?" With this Singaporeans can turn round and say, "drinking all hours, huge dance clubs, legalised prostitution, legalised gambling, big transvestite scene, what more do you want?" :)

^^ A nice Singaporean Girl(friend) perhaps ... :dunno:

^ I met a very pretty Singaporean girl that works for Las Vegas Sands and was involved in this bid. :)

Prostitution is already legalised in Singapore long time ago...but only confined to the area called 'Geylang'

Yeap. Singapore gals are hot and educated. but most (not all)of the time u need lots of $$$. Guess AltinD's ten bucks can help me with that a bit.:lol:

sorry gals...just my opinion:cheers:

^ Not just Geylang. Also Orchard Towers.

^^ I'm not interested in prostitution, I can get alot of that kind of action here, but at this specific moment I'm really dying to get a Singaporean GF (it's TRUE), so if someone wants to help ... :runaway:


Back on topic (so the mods will not delete these posts and ruin my hopes ... :D ): If the design of the Art-Science Museum was updated, is there any indication that the design of the three towers might have been updated as well?

Also wasn't DP Architect who was designing the complex, or they were just working on the initial design by Moshe Safdie?

^^ nope...the tower will not get updated. At least there are no news about that.

Some pic from the past (courtesy of RafflesCity) that shows where the sea wall was...the thin long strip at the top of the pic surrounded by ship n boats was the old sea wall that they dig into.:lol:
To those who wonder why they are building on water...singapore has since reclaim that part of the sea to create a bay.

Mr Moshe Safdie said, "The first shock and surprise is when we started excavating and we found the old sea wall which used to be the wave break which used to protect the boats in the bay. And we've had to remove that and it's been an extremely costly and complicated process."

http://i16.tinypic.com/4ztfltt.jpg

anyway...come singapore and try to score the gals here if u r really desperate :D

omg ... what a amazing pic ... looks so comfortable like a chinese old town ... now there are skyscrapers and buisness, yaaa tahts what we want. more more more ...
btw, i had meet ma gf in singapore, hehe, going to visit soon. May i can help u .. lol muahaha

Hanging gardens anyone?

Great project i must say. :applause:

One of the buildings where we enter a building through water.

One of the buildings where we enter a building through water.

that was included in the initial design....not sure if they are keeping it.

Not rising yet

25 May
http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa277/tiong_guan_ng/Sand01.jpg

that was included in the initial design....not sure if they are keeping it.

Are you referring to those floating 'crystals'?

I think I saw them at the latest model exhibition at URA Centre last week. There is a large model of the building:)

This project is really fabulous!But its kinda sad that Singapore is gonna lose some greeneries there:(

This project is really fabulous!But its kinda sad that Singapore is gonna lose some greeneries there:(

There's greenery on the roof eh?

This project is really fabulous!But its kinda sad that Singapore is gonna lose some greeneries there:(

The site had been a field for the past few decades.

Are you referring to those floating 'crystals'?

I think I saw them at the latest model exhibition at URA Centre last week. There is a large model of the building:)

Yea....thats what i meant but i think its hard to believe they are going to connect it to the 'land' with underwater tunnel.

It was in the specifications but after they won i remember Sands have to work with the government to fine tune the design...not sure if they have remove the tunnels and just replace them with a simple bridge coz its cheaper.Plus the water is murky...no point having a glass underwater tunnel and i think this 'creative' idea is to for the wow factor during the intense bidding warfare:)

Anyway...hope it can be realised tho


The site had been a field for the past few decades.

Yeap. even if there are trees there, they are planted by humans as that land is a reclaimed land. Plus there is a rooftop garden.

Innovative :)

An underwater entrance... that would be most interesting...

pics from a Chinook helicopter :)

Hi Rap, looks like the Singapore Air Force heard your question. They've sent a Chinook helicopter to do the counting.

http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa291/sonofadude/CIMG4402.jpg

massive construction site :eek:

10 June 07.

Construction in Full Force !!!

More than 30+ cranes on the Sands Site now.

This is awesome, right ?

You can see the floating platform... they have covered a layer of carpet like floor on the floating platform.



http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa277/tiong_guan_ng/sands24.jpg

http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa277/tiong_guan_ng/sands23.jpg

http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa277/tiong_guan_ng/sands20.jpg

wow, that construction site is impressive big!!

^^ It better be, considering their optimism to open in 2009. However I'm still convinced that kurakura will see my 10 bucks only in his dreams. :D ;)

^^ It better be, considering their optimism to open in 2009. However I'm still convinced that kurakura will see my 10 bucks only in his dreams. :D ;)

We shall see...we shall see....:lol:

21 July 2007

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j67/RCSSC/mbs2107.jpg

^^That is absolutely ridiculous!

^^ Yes it is :nuts:

... still I'm sceptical of any chance of meetting the deadline.

holy shit ... looks like a crane-exhibition ... damn crowded place

wow the whole area is full of activities :D

Is it safe to have that many cranes so close together?

^^ Is it safe to have so many cars packed together in the highway, while travelling at speeds of 70 - 120 MPH?

^^ Is it safe to have so many cars packed together in the highway, while travelling at speeds of 70 - 120 MPH?Yeah, but cars aren't swinging around carry heavy loads on a building site however...

...I'm sure it is all carefully handled ElVoltageDR & complies with all the safety regulations.

Thanks again Raffles :)

...but good luck for a 2009 opening. Such a vast & complicated project!

I hope so! This is a really good looking project.

Thanks again Raffles :)

...but good luck for a 2009 opening. Such a vast & complicated project!

no worries, it will be fun to watch this thing morph into vertical reality :D

Yeah, but cars aren't swinging around carry heavy loads on a building site however...!

Yeah but those cranes aren't swinging around carrying heavy loads, this is just the piling stage.

... plus cars also swing around changing lanes or handling intersections, both with or without signals. It just takes cordinations.

Yeah but those cranes aren't swinging around carrying heavy loads, this is just the piling stage..They are not in use??? Surely they would be carrying loads sooner or later. Why are they in place then? Looks like there is a lot of material etc on site. It all didn't get there by magic.

plus cars also swing around changing lanes or handling intersections, both with or without signals. It just takes cordinations.:eek: Err, maybe in your city or town? Certainly don't think so in Singapore.

^^ My point is that with coordinations everything can be done, like trains not going head-on on single tracks.

And the density of those machineries (ONLY half of which are actually cranes) is not bigger then in other BUSY construction sites, as far as DENSITY is concearn. What is extraordinary is the area that is being worked upon simultaneously.

The biggest problem there is logistics, i.e. delivering and storing the materials, NOT the movement of the crane's arms.

i think engineer call it mobile crane hehe ....

it does carry something which is its original usage. but its not as big as tower crane.. and before using so many crane in a site they are supposed to seek advise from engineer (and authority for such a complicated construction sequence)

so.... no worries! :)

^^ Of course the cranes are mobile cranes (called also crawling cranes) and the other machineries are piling rigs which movements are mostly vertically.

I think we are both agreeing Atlin. Language nuance thing perhaps. Just the analogy of the highways threw off.

Another aspect of coordinating work for such a large site - handling the movement of thousands of workers to the site and from their quarters, and providing housing for the workers.

Working 24 hours.

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1016/1008334844_01013f4f70_b.jpg

Good for them

22 September 2007

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j67/RCSSC/sands2209.jpg

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j67/RCSSC/sands2209b.jpg

..
11 Nov 07


http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd266/babysgp/Sand_1.jpg

F**KIN UGLY PIECE OF S**T.........what is wrong with the world....JUST BECAUSE WE HAVE THE TECHNOLOGY TO BUILD ANY SORT OF STRUCTURE , IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT U CAN BUILD ANYTHING....ESPECIALLY THIS RIDICULOUS ONE......it's ugly big time....more than ugly.....this is annoying....the whole world is trying to moderize the architecture and stuff...but this kinda stuff just spoils it......i give 1/10.....shud be negative 10/10 but the three towers would look much better without the stupid platform on the top.....oh ya u know what.......s**t man.....to certain extent this building might actually spoil the entire skyline of that region.....there goes the skyline.....goodbye to a much better older skyline there....

^^

Relax :)

Close up taken on 25th January

http://ssc.singapenguin.net/08/080125_marina_bay_sands_and_bfc02.jpg
(foreground is BFC concrete mixers)

I love this projekt really much, but while looking on the last aerial pictures from post#196 i hope they wont destroy the beautiful "forest" behind those newer projects to make place for others..........the buildings with the forest in the background would make Singapour something special imo!

I love this projekt really much, but while looking on the last aerial pictures from post#196 i hope they wont destroy the beautiful "forest" behind those newer projects to make place for others..........the buildings with the forest in the background would make Singapour something special imo!

Unforunately, the land there is suppose to be the new downtown in the far (maybe not so) future. However, a chunk of it will become the Gardens by the Bay (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=509703&highlight=gardens+by+the+bay+singapore) so not all is lost :yes:

25 Jan 2008

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j67/RCSSC/mbs2501.jpg

Hey

Long time no see ! :)

I love this projekt really much, but while looking on the last aerial pictures from post#196 i hope they wont destroy the beautiful "forest" behind those newer projects to make place for others..........the buildings with the forest in the background would make Singapour something special imo!

To be fair, this area which is now "forest" was reclaimed on the sea 30 years ago... So it's not really as if it was a true piece of rain forest. Which is good because it's probably going to disappear. It may comfort you to know that a new Botanic garden and central linear garden are going to be developed there :-)

17 March 2008

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v133/RafflesCity/flyer8.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v133/RafflesCity/flyer11.jpg

Hot stuff!

Taken by NickL - 25 March 2008

http://img503.imageshack.us/img503/7323/1aotvz4.jpg

[QUOTE=RafflesCity;19320761]17 March 2008

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v133/RafflesCity/flyer8.jpg

:nuts::nuts::nuts:

:eek2::eek2::eek2:

:omg:

:wtf:

:righton:

:master::master:

Superboom is going on there in one time!

I never seen so many freaking cranes in one place ever before :lol:

Taken by encon

16 March 2008

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v702/encon/BAYSANDSs.jpg

WOW! Singapore is booming!

amazing how many projects are going on at the same time, you guys are lucky.

5 April 2008

Tower portion is rising out of the ground

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j67/RCSSC/mbs0504b.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v133/RafflesCity/irmod7.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v133/RafflesCity/irmod3.jpg

Interface with the future Gardens
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v133/RafflesCity/irmod1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v133/RafflesCity/irmod2.jpg

Picture by GOMUS

http://www.pbase.com/gomus/image/96222066/original.jpg

Incredible project...

2 May 2008

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j67/RCSSC/mbs0205.jpg

by kyh
http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk80/kyhSG/060508sands.jpg

12 July 2008

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j67/RCSSC/mbs1207.jpg

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j67/RCSSC/mbs1207c.jpg

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j67/RCSSC/mbs1207b.jpg

The forest of cranes are gone. :(

how tall r those 3 buildings?

how tall r those 3 buildings?

194m, and apparently theyre 57 floors high rather than 50.

Here is a pano showing the construction site by the bay --->

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v427/rotpics03/uobpano1.jpg

Some recent pics by r@ptor.

http://www.jochenhertweck.com/upload/sin_mbs6.JPG

http://www.jochenhertweck.com/upload/sin_mbs5.JPG

http://www.jochenhertweck.com/upload/sin_mbs3.JPG

7 September 2008

by LittlePig

http://img185.imageshack.us/img185/8480/07092008712vp9.jpg

thank u so much for the pics RafflesCity, truely amazing. theres like more cranes there then whats really needed :lol:

thank u so much for the pics RafflesCity, truely amazing. theres like more cranes there then whats really needed :lol:

No worries, a big thanks to the contributors too :)

Actually, the extent of this development occupies only the left hand portion of the land (up to where the giant circular holes are). The other portion on the right is reserved for future developments.

The other cranes and machines are for other infrastructure in the area. This includes a utility tunnel and a new subway line.

13 September 2008

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j67/RCSSC/mbs1309b.jpg

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j67/RCSSC/mbs1309.jpg

http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j67/RCSSC/mbs1309c.jpg

This is a really cool project. Will the rooftop gardens be accessible to everyone or just hotel guests?

^^

I'm not sure. I'm hoping it would be open to the public but there's a good chance its for hotel guests. But the waterfront space would be a public area.

Check out the hotel's website:

http://www.marinabaysands.com/

Some models:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v133/RafflesCity/irmod1.jpg

taken by Maverick
http://img513.imageshack.us/img513/3906/cimg4358ji3.jpg

Update by LittlePig

http://img129.imageshack.us/img129/5228/a09112008934xl8.jpg

January 2009

http://www.marinabaysands.com/assets/images/CU012809.jpg

194m, and apparently theyre 57 floors high rather than 50.

Here is a pano showing the construction site by the bay --->

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v427/rotpics03/uobpano1.jpg



....................................................................................................................................^^^^

wow..what a super awesome stunning panoramic picture...with ritz carlton right in the middle! :cheers: thanks..... :master: rc!

^^

thank you :)

You can get that view by going to the restaurant at the top of UOB Plaza :cheers:

^^

I'm not sure. I'm hoping it would be open to the public but there's a good chance its for hotel guests. But the waterfront space would be a public area.

Check out the hotel's website:

http://www.marinabaysands.com/

Some models:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v133/RafflesCity/irmod1.jpg

taken by Maverick
http://img513.imageshack.us/img513/3906/cimg4358ji3.jpg

Love the design of this, so beautiful. This is a HUGE development!

25 February 2009 - Taken by Lifestyle-1881

http://www.smugmug.com/photos/480646124_gLc9b-L.jpg

Great to see this one progressing.

Another shot from Lifestyle-1881

http://www.smugmug.com/photos/480858588_ZyNWK-L.jpg

28 February 2009

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3450/3316035853_0969f8ffb2_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3591/3316036129_4b7fbd9946_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3647/3316862218_f5ef4168c9_o.jpg

Marina Bay Sands on track to open by year-end

4 March 09

SINGAPORE : The US$5.4 billion Marina Bay Sands is on target to open by year-end. The construction of its hotel towers has passed the halfway mark and is due to be "topped out" in July.

With the current downturn and parent company Las Vegas Sands running into money problems, there were concerns about the impact on the Marina Bay project. But the company said funding is not an issue.

Bradley Stone, president, Global Operations & Construction, Las Vegas Sands Corp, said: "We have a fully-funded project here in Singapore. We put the financing in place in December 07. And we have been putting in equity as planned from the parent company.

"What happened in Macau (is that) we were launching those projects right in the face of the credit crunch. What happened in Macau certainly won't happen here. The project is funded and a lot by local banks here in Singapore, and we are very confident in our ability to complete this on a timely basis."

Marina Bay Sands said at least half of the property will be operational by year-end. It is in discussions with Singapore authorities on the timeline.

George Tanasijevich, general manager and VP, Singapore Development, Marina Bay Sands, said: "We are not going to open this property until we have at least 50 per cent of it complete, and this includes all the compelling aspects of the project.

"Certain pieces will come on later. We are working with the tourism board and government to refine what that schedule will be. A sizeable proportion of the hotel rooms will be included in the initial opening.

"But I can assure you that what we open in the initial phase of it will be a full-fledged IR (integrated resort) that is compelling from a tourism standpoint and something that Singapore can be proud of."

All four floors of the casino area have been constructed - with workers due to start on the roof next. The massive convention and exhibition space and retail mall next to it is also making good progress.

And while construction for the ArtScience Museum and theatres is still ongoing, plans for bringing in big acts like Broadway productions are underway.

The distinctive hotel towers - that slope at a 26-degree angle - with 2,600 rooms have reached the halfway mark at about 28 floors, with hotel rooms being fitted out in tandem.

The hotel towers may have reached their halfway mark, but Marina Bay Sands has yet to face its biggest construction challenge - that is, when the floors go up all the way to the 55th level and they have to construct a sky park across all three levels.

When completed, the sky park, which is about the length of four and a half A380 airplanes, will have pools, gardens and a rooftop club.

But will all these facilities bring in the crowds that the Singapore government is banking on?

Singapore's visitor arrivals fell almost 13 per cent in January to 771,000 from the same period a year ago. However, despite the recent gloomy tourist arrival numbers, Marina Bay Sands remains confident the cards are stacked in its favour.

Nigel Roberts, president, Marina Bay Sands, said: "In spite of the market, we will come on line with something everyone will want to come to. It is going to be a 'must do' place to come (to)."

The company plans to make Marina Bay Sands a global attraction, but the markets it is targeting first are China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand, as well as the Middle East and Russia. - CNA/ms

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/412982/1/.html

beautiful city

Marina Bay Sands to be 15% bigger

5 Mar 09

Size increase, due to redesign, partly accounts for higher budget of US$5.4b

(SINGAPORE) Marina Bay Sands, which is targeted to open around the end of the year, will be 15 per cent bigger in terms of gross floor area (GFA).

http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/mnt/media/image/launched/2009-03-05/BT_IMAGES_ASMBS5.jpg

The four level casino area will, however, only occupy about 3 per cent of the total GFA.

The GFA for the integrated resort was initially expected to be 570,000 sq m (6.14 million sq ft). A 15 per cent increase could take it up to 655,500 sq m (7.06 million sq ft).

MBS general manager and vice-president George Tanasijevich said that since the design of MBS was first revealed, the design of the integrated resort (IR) had undergone 'refinement and redesign' to become both 'bigger and better'.

This increase in size also partially accounts for the current budget for the IR which stands at US$5.4 billion, up from previous estimates of US$3.6 billion and US$4.5 billion.

About 2 per cent of additional GFA can be attributed to the $50 million that will be spent on art at MBS. This is through an Urban Redevelopment Authority art incentive scheme which allows property developers of new projects to gain additional GFA, over and above the maximum allowed, if they integrate art permanently in the design of new commercial or residential buildings in the Central Area.

Mr Tanasijevich was speaking at a media briefing yesterday at the construction site of MBS where it was revealed that the IR will now also be 5-storeys higher.

Structural works are almost 75 per cent completed with the structure for the casino building already 'topped up' and the topping up for the three 55-storey hotel towers expected by July.

The hotel towers, which are currently at about the 28-storey level are simultaneously being fitted out.

All this with the aim of opening in time.

While Mr Tanasijevich said they hope to open by the end of 2009, 'or close to it', it is not clear yet which parts of the IR will open first.

He said what will likely open first will be the 'primary contributors of revenue'. He added that MBS was currently in discussions with the authorities on the phasing of the 'progressive opening' of the IR.

Separately, Las Vegas Sands (LVS) chairman and CEO Sheldon Adelson, who was speaking in the US, said that estimates made by analysts for earnings by MBS were 'somewhat low'.

According to a Reuters report, analysts had estimated that MBS could generate Ebitda of between US$500 million and US$900 million.

But citing Singapore's favourable tax regime, Mr Adelson said: 'We will save 25 per cent on average on taxes.'

Mr Adelson's comments come after LVS reported a loss of US$136.5 million in the fourth quarter of 2008, down from a profit of $39.9 million a year ago.

At the time of the filing on Feb 25, LVS also said that it had raised its annual cost savings target to US$250 million.

In addition to this, Mr Adelson said yesterday that it would try and 'squeeze out another US$200 million to US$250 million'. 'If we do that, we are home free,' he added.

According to its Q4'08 filings, LVS has unrestricted cash balances as of December 31 of US$3.04 billion while restricted cash balances were US$194.8 million.

Of the restricted cash balances, it said US$124.1 million is restricted for Macau-related construction and US$61.9 million is restricted for construction of MBS.

Total debt outstanding, including the current portion, was US$10.47 billion. Principal payments required to be repaid in 2009 and 2010 total US$114.6 million and US$197.6 million, respectively.


By ARTHUR SIM

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v427/rotpics03/mbsmarch.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v427/rotpics03/mbsmarch2.jpg

http://i42.tinypic.com/2llhimq.jpg

http://i44.tinypic.com/t526nn.jpg

http://i39.tinypic.com/29mrw9f.jpg

Just realised that the project budget is now US$5.4 billion!

The original US$3.1 billion budget announced in 2007 already made it the world's most expensive casino development. The previous record-holder is US$2.7 billion LV Wynns.

Marina Bay Sands to be 15% bigger

5 Mar 09

Size increase, due to redesign, partly accounts for higher budget of US$5.4b

(SINGAPORE) Marina Bay Sands, which is targeted to open around the end of the year, will be 15 per cent bigger in terms of gross floor area (GFA).

http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/mnt/media/image/launched/2009-03-05/BT_IMAGES_ASMBS5.jpg

The four level casino area will, however, only occupy about 3 per cent of the total GFA.

The GFA for the integrated resort was initially expected to be 570,000 sq m (6.14 million sq ft). A 15 per cent increase could take it up to 655,500 sq m (7.06 million sq ft).

MBS general manager and vice-president George Tanasijevich said that since the design of MBS was first revealed, the design of the integrated resort (IR) had undergone 'refinement and redesign' to become both 'bigger and better'.

This increase in size also partially accounts for the current budget for the IR which stands at US$5.4 billion, up from previous estimates of US$3.6 billion and US$4.5 billion.

About 2 per cent of additional GFA can be attributed to the $50 million that will be spent on art at MBS. This is through an Urban Redevelopment Authority art incentive scheme which allows property developers of new projects to gain additional GFA, over and above the maximum allowed, if they integrate art permanently in the design of new commercial or residential buildings in the Central Area.

Mr Tanasijevich was speaking at a media briefing yesterday at the construction site of MBS where it was revealed that the IR will now also be 5-storeys higher.

Structural works are almost 75 per cent completed with the structure for the casino building already 'topped up' and the topping up for the three 55-storey hotel towers expected by July.

The hotel towers, which are currently at about the 28-storey level are simultaneously being fitted out.

All this with the aim of opening in time.

While Mr Tanasijevich said they hope to open by the end of 2009, 'or close to it', it is not clear yet which parts of the IR will open first.

He said what will likely open first will be the 'primary contributors of revenue'. He added that MBS was currently in discussions with the authorities on the phasing of the 'progressive opening' of the IR.

Separately, Las Vegas Sands (LVS) chairman and CEO Sheldon Adelson, who was speaking in the US, said that estimates made by analysts for earnings by MBS were 'somewhat low'.

According to a Reuters report, analysts had estimated that MBS could generate Ebitda of between US$500 million and US$900 million.

But citing Singapore's favourable tax regime, Mr Adelson said: 'We will save 25 per cent on average on taxes.'

Mr Adelson's comments come after LVS reported a loss of US$136.5 million in the fourth quarter of 2008, down from a profit of $39.9 million a year ago.

At the time of the filing on Feb 25, LVS also said that it had raised its annual cost savings target to US$250 million.

In addition to this, Mr Adelson said yesterday that it would try and 'squeeze out another US$200 million to US$250 million'. 'If we do that, we are home free,' he added.

According to its Q4'08 filings, LVS has unrestricted cash balances as of December 31 of US$3.04 billion while restricted cash balances were US$194.8 million.

Of the restricted cash balances, it said US$124.1 million is restricted for Macau-related construction and US$61.9 million is restricted for construction of MBS.

Total debt outstanding, including the current portion, was US$10.47 billion. Principal payments required to be repaid in 2009 and 2010 total US$114.6 million and US$197.6 million, respectively.


By ARTHUR SIM

Why so expensive?

^^

I think that is largely due to the increase in construction costs, particularly sand.

wow! i want to visit here, but i smoke cigarettes...

Its not as if you cant smoke anywhere here. :) There are still places for you to smoke. And people dont really care either.

More updates:
14th March

More pics...
http://ssc.singapenguin.net/09/20090314_marina_bay_sands_01.jpg

http://ssc.singapenguin.net/09/20090314_marina_bay_sands_02.jpg

http://ssc.singapenguin.net/09/20090314_marina_bay_sands_03.jpg
Cladding looks meh, but the light was not good (as you probably noticed ^^ )

http://ssc.singapenguin.net/09/20090314_marina_bay_sands_04.jpg

http://ssc.singapenguin.net/09/20090314_marina_bay_sands_05.jpg

Thanks JoSin for relaying my pics here ;-)

two pics I took a few days ago:

http://img13.imageshack.us/img13/315/48192744.jpg
http://img11.imageshack.us/img11/833/16734322.jpg

Taken by keil - 18 March 2009

http://i39.tinypic.com/op5yfp.jpg