KUALA LUMPUR: Singapore’s first integrated resorts -- Resorts World Sentosa - will start its phased opening from Jan 20, 2010, beginning with its four hotels opening on the same day.The chairman of the Genting Group and Resorts World Sentosa Tan Sri Lim Kok Thay said in a statement on Tuesday, Jan 5 that when the Genting Group won the bid to build Resorts World Sentosa in December 2006, it promised Singapore that it would deliver a true integrated resorts that would make Singapore and Singaporeans proud. "We have been single-minded about this – no distractions or excuses - and today, we are happy to say we marked the first milestone towards delivering on that promise," he saidResorts World Sentosa began operations at two of its four hotels on Tuesday, celebrating with a lion dance and ribbon-cutting by the wives of Genting Group’s late founder and its current chairman Puan Sri Lim Goh Tong and Puan Sri Cecilia Lim respectively.Resorts World Sentosa’s chief executive Tan Hee Teck said the phased schedule allowed the Resort and its 10,000 employees to run in operations and deliver the expected guest experience.Resorts World Sentosa’s four hotels - Festive Hotel, Hard Rock Hotel Singapore, Crockfords Tower and Hotel Michael – offer a combined inventory of 1,350 rooms and 10 restaurant outlets at their opening. Another two hotels at the Resort, Equarius Hotel and Spa Villas, will add another 500 rooms when they launch after 2010. Room and restaurant reservations begin at 10am on Monday, Jan 11, 2010 on hotline +65 6577 8899.
"Resorts World Sentosa is working closely with the authorities to obtain approvals for Universal Studios Singapore, which will open next. The opening date for the casino will be announced when it gets notice of its casino licence," it said.
Meanwhile, Reuters reports Genting Singapore would announce the start date for the casino when it receives the licence from Singapore authorities.Singapore legalised casino gambling in 2005 and said it will allow two casino-resorts to be built as part of ambitious plans to double visitor arrivals to 17 million by 2015.The city-state's other casino-resort, Las Vegas Sands' US$5.5 billion Marina Bay Sands, is scheduled to begin its phased opening in April, although many analysts doubt if the firm can meet the target date.Casino operators in Singapore will pay an effective tax of around 12 percent on net revenue from gamblers, giving them an incentive to draw Asian high rollers away from Macau where the tax is just under 40 percent.Reuters said Genting declined to provide estimated start dates for its Singapore casino or Universal Studios theme park, Southeast Asia's first, although a spokesman said testing and commissioning of the various rides had started in early November.The wire report stated a spokeswoman for Singapore's Casino Regulatory Authority had said Genting made an initial submission for a casino licence in October 2009 and the completed application package was received in December. Singapore casino laws are based on regulations in the United States and Australia.
Written by The Edge FinancialDaily
Tuesday, 05 January 2010 19:59
