Possible site to be acquired for BTL Bugis Stn gets extension
from acquisition. 
DHL balloon site may get 8-month extension
05 October 2007 1132 hrs (SST) 0332 hrs (GMT)
SINGAPORE : For weeks, Ducktours' founder James Heng had that
deflated feeling, faced with the prospect of losing his
moneymaking, helium balloon.
But an email he received on Thursday evening sent him soaring
again.
It was from the Singapore Land Authority (SLA), which conveyed the
possibility that Mr Heng's company's DHL balloon may continue
operating at its Tan Quee Lan Street site until next August.
The current lease for the site is due to expire on Dec 31 as the
Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) already has other plans for
it.
However, Mr Heng's Ducktours, a sightseeing company, has not been
able to find an alternative site for the contraption.
In a twist of fate, it appears the URA will not require the land
for another eight months, so the balloon may be able to continue
operating there.
An SLA spokesman told TODAY it is "supportive" of, and is
processing, Ducktours' application to be the user of the site for
another eight months after its lease expiry.
The application will be submitted to the Tender Board, which will
either accept it or call an open tender for the site.
The result will be known in a few weeks.
Mr Heng - whose battle against red tape in order to operate land,
sea and air tours was highlighted by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong
three years ago - is excited about the prospect of another eight
months to search for an alternative site.
"It's good news, or else we would be in trouble," said Mr Heng, who
is also chief executive of Ducktours, which offers sightseeing
tours aboard the open-top double-decker Hippo bus, the amphibious
Duck craft and the DHL balloon.
Ducktours had spent S$3.5 million to install the balloon and it
would have cost him about S$70,000 just to release the helium from
the balloon.
"We would also need to collect the balloon, wash it and pack up it
up so it can be reused. It's a complex operation and we would need
to fly in experts from Germany," he added.
In an earlier interview with TODAY, Mr Heng offered a glimpse of
the problems he had to grapple with in trying to save his
balloon.
"We run to SLA...SLA will talk to URA, and URA might be talking to
the Land Transport Authority - but we have no access (to the
process)."
Mr Heng said he had been hoping for a face-to-face meeting with the
agencies, so as to gain a better understanding of the issues and
"craft out possible solutions and alternatives".
Earlier, the SLA told TODAY it was helping Mr Heng to find another
site but that site would have to be opened for public tender.
Mr Heng said on Thursday he was now in talks with the National
Parks Board regarding the relocation of the balloon to the Gardens
by the Bay project in the Marina Bay area.
Interested parties also include VivoCity and Sentosa.
Its location woes aside, the balloon has been a success for
Ducktours.
"Since the middle of last year, about 150,000 tourists have gone up
in the balloon," said Mr Heng. - TODAY/ym
