‘Where will all the playgrounds go?’: Parents lament Marina Square closure for revamp in March 2027

SINGAPORE – The Marina Square shopping centre will close on March 31, 2027, for a redevelopment that will introduce features including luxury residences, serviced apartments and offices on a site of more than 360,000 sq m.

The revamp will also result in the launch of a 304-key hotel that will place guests close to the Marina Bay area, property developer Singapore Land Group (SingLand) said in a statement on Sept 1.

It joins the three existing hotels on-site – Pan Pacific Singapore, Parkroyal Collection Marina Bay and Mandarin Oriental Singapore – which will remain open throughout the redevelopment slated for completion in 2031.

Marina Square will be refreshed into a four-storey retail mall offering a broader variety of food and beverage (F&B) options and pet-friendly environments, SingLand said.

Three new towers will be integrated into the site. They include a 49-storey residential tower hosting 204 luxury homes, ranging from three- to five-bedroom apartments to penthouses.

Meanwhile, offices will occupy eight floors of a new mixed-use tower, providing around 13,000 sq m of lettable space.

SingLand noted that the Marina Centre district, which was completed in 1986, had been the first to be developed within the wider Marina Bay area, combining offices, hotels and retail offerings.

Chief executive Jonathan Eu said the developer was taking the “opportunity to reimagine Marina Square as a more connected and compelling destination”.

“By adding residences, serviced apartments and workplaces alongside the existing hotels and repositioning the mall around experience-led retail, sports, wellness and community, we are creating a new ecosystem where people can live, work, stay and connect,” he added.

News of the mall closure has caught many parents off guard, as Marina Square is widely known for its indoor playgrounds and children’s retail outlets.

Mother-of-one Chia Xinyi expressed her surprise that the mall would be shutting down completely by the end of March. “Where will all the playgrounds go?” she said.

She added that her family visits Pororo Park, an 11,000 sq ft indoor playground, but she had not purchased an advance membership package.

Another parent, Low Liqi, said her family will miss VroomTown Driving City, an indoor park where children can learn traffic rules and try simulated driving.

“The driving and car washing are really fun for young kids,” she said, adding that it is one of the few playgrounds where parents do not need to tire themselves out chasing or climbing after their children.

A spokesperson for Pororo Park, themed after the popular South Korean animated series, said it will remain open and work closely with the mall during the transition period, adding that it will continue to be present in Singapore.

The spokesperson added: “We look forward to continuing to bring the Pororo experience to families beyond Marina Square.

“We would also like to reassure our members and guests that we remain committed to ensuring a smooth transition, with their experience and existing entitlements in mind. More details will be shared as our plans are finalised.”

VroomTown Driving City manager Chaw Jian Wen said it also has plans to relocate, and that it is still looking for a new site.

Heidi Tien, chief executive of indoor playground Kiztopia, which has been operating at Marina Square since 2019, said it was “actively exploring potential new venues to relocate our flagship Kiztopia experience”.

“We want to reassure all our members, annual pass holders, and patrons that their interests will be fully protected, and all active passes will continue to be honoured across our network,” she added.

Tien said the business will share specific arrangements with customers at a later stage. All scheduled bookings and play sessions will proceed as normal until March 31.

Vivienne Tan, founder of Kids In The Room, said the escape room operator will relocate to another mall and announce the new location at a later date.

“We will work with Marina Square on a viable plan to vacate the premises. We are confident they will do right by us,” she said.

Marina Square has more than 200 speciality shops comprising F&B, as well as fashion, children’s and lifestyle brands, according to its website.

The mall, typically quiet on weekdays, draws larger crowds on weekends for its family-focused offerings.

A SingLand spokesperson told The Straits Times that it will work closely with tenants in the months ahead of the mall’s closure.

The spokesperson said: “We value the relationships we have built with our tenants and are committed to ensuring a fair and considerate process. Beyond providing the requisite notice, we will engage tenants on the timeline and next steps, including matters relating to the reinstatement of their premises, so they can plan ahead.”

Ahead of the closure, SingLand said it will curate a calendar of events and activities to drive shopper footfall and support retail sales in the mall. It will also work with stakeholders to minimise disruption and maintain accessibility to the hotels on-site during the redevelopment.

Further details will be announced at key milestones of the project, SingLand said.