SINGAPORE- Marquee nightclub is set to open a Singapore outpost next year in Marina Bay Sands (MBS), complete with an indoor, eight-armed ferris wheel that houses a photo booth in each pod and offers views of the dance floor below.
Located in the space formerly occupied by one of two MBS theatres, the high-ceilinged, three-storey venue could be one of the biggest clubbing venues in Singapore.
"The ferris wheel has become an icon of festivals like Coachella and Electric Daisy Carnival and after visiting those, we came up with the idea of building a permanent one inside Marquee Singapore," says Mr Jason Strauss, co-founder and partner of the Tao Group, which owns and runs Marquee clubs.
Marquee may be a familiar name to party aficionados as one of New York's longest-running nightclubs. The Tao Group, one of the United States' leading nightlife, entertainment and dining businesses, also opened Marquee in Las Vegas in 2010 and Sydney in 2012.
But Singapore is the only outlet that will have a ferris wheel.
"The inspiration of the decor at Marquee Singapore comes from various adult amusement parks and music festivals, and our goal is to capture the energy of both but in a more intimate, indoor facility of the future," Mr Strauss, 44, says in an email interview with The Straits Times.
Marquee Singapore marks the group's second venture in Asia, after opening restaurant and nightclub Lavo on the rooftop of MBS in January.
Marquee regularly attracts big names from the dance music world such as Zedd, Marshmello and Armin Van Buuren and it appears Singapore will be no different. The venue, with its 21m-high ceiling, is also designed to accommodate large-scale productions and live performances, alongside typical DJ shows.
"Marquee has become synonymous with big-name acts and performances and we plan to continue these same bookings at Marquee Singapore," says Mr Strauss. "As we get closer to opening, we will be announcing some initial performances and residencies."
Details such as how many days a week the club will be open are also expected to be announced at a later date.
"The formula to keeping Marquee Singapore packed every night centres around the world-class talent we will be booking to perform at the nightclub. We will attract a mix of locals, expatriates and tourists, along with cultural influencers and celebrities who are staying at Marina Bay Sands to enjoy the state-of-the-art nightclub facility we are building," he adds.
As for any safety concerns about having a ferris wheel in a club setting, Mr Strauss says that they are working with Manhattan-based design team iCrave to ensure it meetsall safety codes before opening. "Once in operation, the ferris wheel will be properly managed by an experienced operator."
