Las Vegas Sands has announced that the first phase of its US$5.5 billion Marina Bay Sands (MBS) development will open on April 27, 2010. ?According to a statement on its website, the launch will be followed just days after by its first event, the Inter-Pacific Bar Association’s annual conference.
Then on June 23, MBS’s second phase will open, unveiling the SkyPark and Event Plaza.
MBS Chief Executive Officer Thomas Arasi said the property is planning for 963 hotel rooms, part of the shopping mall and convention centre, celebrity chef restaurants along with other dining outlets and the casino to open on April 27, subject to construction going on as scheduled and being able to attain the necessary regulatory approvals.
The second phase, which includes the Sands SkyPark, the Event Plaza along Marina Bay, more upscale retailers, additional dining options and nightlife offerings, will open on June 23 as part of the property's grand opening celebration, Arasi added.
In October, one of the property's two state-of-the-art theatres will welcome Disney's The Lion King. The second theatre, which will also open later this year, will be home to a variety of special events and famous headline acts. The iconic Marina Bay Sands museum, expected to open by December, will not only feature international blockbuster exhibitions, but it will also serve with its unique lotus-inspired design as a symbolic welcome to guests from around the globe.
The complex, described by its developer as "one of the world's most challenging construction projects" has been plagued by financing woes due to the global financial crunch was supposed to have opened end of last year. Its rival integrated resort Resorts World Sentosa pipped it by opening on the Chinese New Year weekend.
For more details, visit www.lasvegassands.com
Margie T Logarta
