Resorts World Sentosa says it's "on track" for Phase 2 opening

Hoe Yeen Nie Channel NewsAsia 27 May 11;

SINGAPORE: Resorts World Sentosa (RWS) said it's "on track" to open the second phase of its integrated resort, which includes a maritime museum, an aquarium and a marine life park.

These attractions will open progressively from the third quarter, this year, beginning with the museum.

The marine life park is expected to open fully by mid-2012.

RWS said it's expecting 16 million visitors this year, up from 15 million in 2010.

Universal Studios Singapore is also projecting 4 million visitors this year, double the number in the first nine months of its soft opening in March 2010.

These numbers were released at a news conference ahead of the theme park's grand opening on Saturday.

Celebrations include a Hollywood-style gala dinner on Friday, which will be attended by celebrities such as Paula Abdul, Jet Li and Maggie Cheung.

- CNA/cc

RWS sets target of more than 16m visitors

Phase two expansion of integrated resort on track, says Genting chairman
Felda Chay and Teo Si Jia Business Times 28 May 11;

RESORTS World Sentosa (RWS) is looking to up its game this year, having set a target for 16 million visitors to head to the integrated resort - an increase from the 15 million last year.

In fact, the resort's owner, Genting Singapore, is confident that it will get even more visitors than that. Speaking at a press briefing on the grand opening of Universal Studios Singapore yesterday, Genting Group chairman and chief executive Lim Kok Thay said: 'This year, I'm convinced that Resorts World Sentosa will be able to attract more than 16 million visitors.' Genting Group is the parent of Genting Singapore.

Universal Studios alone is expected to see four million visitors, said the group. The theme park drew two million visitors in 2010, during which it was open for about nine months following its soft launch in mid-March. Prior to the launch of the 20-ha theme park, RWS had said that it believes it can pull in 4.5 million to five million visitors annually.

The theme park, which opens its doors to the public today, kickstarted celebrations yesterday with appearences by by pop singer and former American Idol judge Paula Abdul, action star Jet Li and actresses Maggie Cheung and Vicki Zhao Wei.

The park will be 'progressively opening' new attractions as it goes along, with a Transformers ride scheduled to be open by the end of this year, said RWS. This will bring the park's number of attractions to 21. The plan is to up the number of attractions to 24 by 2013 - a strategy that Universal Studios hopes will lure return visitors.

Currently 75 per cent of visitors are made up of foreigners. According to Mr Lim, this is a situation unique to Singapore where the local population is not as large as the UK or US.

Universal Studios will also be extending its opening hours, and will close at 9pm instead of 7pm with effect from May 30, said RWS.

In the first quarter of this year, Genting Singapore managed to reverse a $396.3 million loss and make $305.4 million in profit for the period, as gaming tables at RWS benefited from healthy attendances.

Yesterday, Mr Lim also clarified that the second-phase expansion of its gaming resort is 'on track'. This is despite Genting's statement on Thursday that its expansion has encountered some 'unforeseen difficulties' which may delay its completion.

'What we announced probably was something to sort of be a bit on the prudent side because it's sort of a pre-warning so that people won't get disappointed if we do miss our target date, which is to complete most of phase two by the end of the year,' said Mr Lim.

'Some of the elements that are involved in phase two have never been done before. But again let me say that we are right on top of it . . . but sometimes we just cannot avoid unexpected incidents.'

Phase two involves the construction of the world's largest oceanarium. 'So in terms of the frontage, the acrylic frontage of the aquarium, this would be one of the largest pieces of acrylic ever made in one whole and transported halfway round the world. So anything may happen.

'Let's say something happens to that, because it is made in one continuous piece, we may have to start all over again,' said Mr Lim.

Yesterday, Genting also gave a sneak peak into its expansion plans. Mr Lim said that the Genting Group was interested to venture into Taiwan. 'We are following the (gaming) legislative process in Taiwan with great interest and naturally at the right time if Taiwan is ready to open ... an integrated resort in Peng Hu we definitely will be right there,' said Mr Lim. Peng Hu is a cluster of 90 small islands and islets off the western coast of Taiwan.

RWS to open phase two by year end
It's expected to kick off in 3rd quarter, and pull in 16m visitors this year
Ng Kai Ling Straits Times 28 May 11;

RESORTS World Sentosa (RWS) is on track to open its phase two by year's end.

Starting with the opening of its Maritime Museum in the third quarter, it will also raise the curtains on the hotel Equarius, its oceanarium and its water theme park this year.

RWS' executive chairman Lim Kok Thay said yesterday that the resort's phased opening was proceeding according to schedule, and expressed confidence that it will pull in more than 16 million visitors this year, up from last year's 15 million.

His assurance follows an earlier announcement from the RWS management about 'unforeseen difficulties' delaying the completion of the second phase.

He said the announcement came from prudence and 'a bit of over-carefulness' on the management's part:

'It was sort of a pre-warning so that people won't get disappointed if we do miss our target date, which is to try and complete most of phase 2 by the end of the year.'

A potential hiccup, if there is to be any, could come from the setting up of the facade of the oceanarium, which is made up of a single piece of acrylic measuring 33m by 11m.

'If something happens to that - because it's made in one continuous piece - we may have to start all over again,' said Mr Lim, who is also chairman and chief executive of RWS' parent company, Genting.

He was speaking at a press conference to mark the grand opening of Universal Studios Singapore (USS) last night.

Guests at the event included international action star Jet Li, screen queen Maggie Cheung and former American Idol judge Paula Abdul (see other story).

Despite being the smallest Universal Studios theme park in the world, the 20ha USS features many firsts:

The recently opened ride Madagascar: A Crate Adventure is the only one based on the popular movie franchise.

A Transformers ride will also debut at USS by the end of the year. Calling Transformers The Ride 3D a 'ground-breaking attraction', Mr Tom Williams, the chief executive of Universal Parks & Resorts, said: 'I promise you that this attraction is absolutely spectacular.'

Back in 2006, the inclusion of a Universal Studios theme park was considered the clincher which won Genting the bid to build an integrated resort in Sentosa.

Mr Lim said yesterday the decision to have a Universal Studios theme park in RWS was an easy one to make.

He said: 'I love the movies. Movies appeal to all ages and they inspire people from all walks of life.'

USS hit a rough patch within a week of its opening, when its star attraction, the Battlestar Galactica roller coaster, ran into safety issues. It continued to be out of commission for the most part of the first nine months of the park's operations.

Despite that, the park attracted about two million visitors, three quarters of them foreigners. It expects to double its attendance to four million this year.

By 2013, USS will have 24 attractions, up from the current 20.

Asked what these were going to be, RWS' chief executive Tan Hee Teck whispered: 'It's a secret.'

In the last quarter, RWS' pre-tax profits of $537.9 million trumped its competitor Marina Bay Sands' performance of US$284.5 million (S$352 million).

Asked how RWS will manage the social ills arising from gaming, Mr Lim said the company's goal was to build a resort that would contribute to building Singapore. It was a reference to the resort's capacity to create jobs and contribute to growing the economy.

Mr Lim added: 'Of course, gaming forms a significant part of our revenue, but we are confident that we can come up with solutions to keep the problems well under control.'

Taiwan casino?

THEY are a scenic group of islands that some believe would make an ideal location for a casino.

Which is why Genting chairman Lim Kok Thay has been keeping an eye on Taiwan's Penghu archipelago.

The islanders successfully voted against having a casino there in 2009.

But the possibility still remains, with some analysts saying the Taiwanese government could give the green light to a casino as early as this year.

Mr Lim wants to take his experience from Resorts World Sentosa to Taiwan.

'One of the big parts of our business is in gaming,' he said.

'And obviously we are following the legislative process in Taiwan with great interest. When the Taiwan government is ready to open its door for an integrated resort in Penghu, we will be right there.'

He added that the integrated resort model is being studied by governments all over the world as it is a great driver for tourism and the economy.


Resorts World Sentosa 'on track' for its phase two opening
Hoe Yeen Nie Today Online 28 May 11;

SINGAPORE - Less than a day after its parent company, the Genting Group, said in a filing to the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange that the completion of its second phase could be delayed, Resorts World Sentosa (RWS) chairman Lim Kok Thay yesterday played down the possibility.

Speaking at a press conference, Mr Lim said that the resort was "on track" for its phase two opening later this year and that he was confident that it will attract more than 16 million visitors this year, up from last year's 15 million.

On Thursday, Genting had said in the stock exchange filing that the RWS is "encountering some unforeseen difficulties" which may delay the completion of the second phase.

Mr Lim said the announcement was made out of prudence and he described it as "a bit of over-carefulness on the management's part".

He added: "It was sort of a pre-warning so that people won't get disappointed if we do miss our target date which is to try and complete most of phase two by the end of 2011."

The integrated resort will roll out its attractions under phase two from the third quarter, starting with its maritime museum. Its Marine Life Park will open by the middle of next year.

It announced that it had completed the structure of its fifth hotel, Equarius, one of two new hotels under phase two yesterday.

Mr Lim said he was open to acquiring more land for expansion but he noted that the focus was to complete the rest of the resort.

The RWS houses the Universal Studios Singapore theme park - which will hold its grand opening today - among other attractions.

Weighing in on the issue, Universal Parks and Resorts chairman Tom Williams reiterated that "size is really irrelevant".

Said Mr Williams: "It is all about the quality of the experience, the exciting nature of the rides and shows and attractions."

The theme park of about 20 hectares has 21 rides and shows, with three more attractions in the pipeline which were be completed by 2013.

In the nine months after its soft opening in March last year, the theme park attracted about two million visitors. It is projecting four million visitors for the whole of this year.