2 new luxury hotels, 88m-high trail part of Resorts World Sentosa’s $6.8b waterfront spruce-up

SINGAPORE - Come 2030, visitors to Sentosa will be greeted by a transformed landscape, featuring a cluster of buildings with lush greenery and a column of shimmering light.

These and a new 88m-high experiential “mountain trail” are part of Resorts World Sentosa’s (RWS) new waterfront lifestyle complex, which broke ground on Nov 15.

The $6.8 billion project by Genting Singapore, to refresh RWS’ offerings amid intensifying global competition for tourists, will also see

two more hotels with 700 rooms added

to RWS’ stable of six hotels. The six are Crockfords Tower, Equarius Hotel, Equarius Villas, Hotel Michael, Hotel Ora and a suites-only luxury hotel that will replace the Hard Rock Hotel.

In all, the plans will see the existing RWS property expanded by about 50 per cent, adding more than 164,000 sq m of new gross floor area, said Genting Singapore.

It was previously announced that Genting Singapore’s RWS expansion would cost $4.5 billion.

When asked about the updated estimate, an RWS spokesperson said the cost increase “reflects a strategic focus on enhancing offerings to elevate the experiences of discerning visitors”.

The first phase of the expansion, centred on non-gaming attractions, kicked off in the second quarter of 2022.

Set to open in the coming months, the new attractions include the

Harry Potter: Visions Of Magic interactive art experience (launching on Nov 22),

followed by the opening of Minion Land at Universal Studios Singapore (first quarter of 2025), and the Singapore Oceanarium (first half of 2025).

The oceanarium is three times the size of the S.E.A. Aquarium, and will include a deep ocean exhibit and a research and learning centre.

At the ground-breaking ceremony, Minister of State for Trade and Industry Alvin Tan noted how the integrated resorts (IRs) are continuing to innovate and refresh their offerings “to stay ahead, especially with intensifying global competition”.

This has included broadening their suite of attractions, food and beverage options, as well as Mice (meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions) and entertainment projects and offerings. “This has strengthened Singapore’s position as a leading Mice and leisure destination,” added Mr Tan.

RWS chief executive Tan Hee Teck said the new development also underscores an ongoing commitment to sustainability.

The IR operator is aiming to achieve the Building and Construction Authority’s Green Mark Platinum certification for the project, which is being built by China Metallurgical Group Corporation.

Low-carbon concrete will be used in its construction, which is expected to reduce embodied carbon by around 29,500 tonnes of emissions – equivalent to the electricity needed to power more than 15,000 HDB four-room flats for a year.

Embodied carbon refers to greenhouse gases resulting from the extraction, creation and transportation of building materials, as well as construction works.

Both of Singapore’s IRs – RWS and Marina Bay Sands (MBS), which opened in 2010 – have been aggressively ramping up hospitality offerings in a bid to draw more visitors.

On Nov 7,

MBS announced its first brand refresh in 14 years,

and gave an update that approximately 1,540 new rooms, including 635 suites, have been refurbished across all three towers as part of a multi-year, US$1.75 billion (S$2.3 billion) reinvestment programme that kicked off in 2022.

The MBS lobby, rooftop Sands SkyPark as well as dining and wellness offerings are also getting an upgrade as part of the enhancement plans, including the addition of a fine-dining Chinese restaurant on the 55th floor, and a water temple spa.

Buoyed by the return of Chinese travellers, Singapore’s international visitor arrivals stand at 13.9 million as at Oct 31, edging close to the Singapore Tourism Board’s 2024 forecast of 15 million to 16.5 million.

Tourism receipts in 2024 are expected to be between $27.5 billion and $29 billion. If Singapore hits the upper bound of this projection, it will be a new record for Singapore tourism.

A highlight of RWS’ new waterfront development will be an 88m-tall light sculpture taking pride of place in a waterfront promenade featuring a four-storey podium with retail, dining and entertainment options. Designed by London’s Heatherwick Studio, which was also behind New York’s honeycomb-like Vessel structure, the sculpture doubles as an attraction with nightly light shows.

Visitors will also be able to take a scenic climb up the 88m-high experiential “mountain trail” that starts from the waterfront promenade and traverses the buildings and structures for a view of the rest of Sentosa, the Greater Southern Waterfront and even the Central Business District.

MTI’s Mr Tan said RWS’ expansion will “continue to contribute to (Singapore’s) tourism success story and growth and provide a new purpose... for new tourists to come, as well as Singaporeans”.

“Together with our other efforts to rejuvenate our tourism offerings, these efforts will keep us ahead of the competition and contribute to Singapore’s vibrant tourism landscape.”