SINGAPORE: The Genting International-Star Cruises consortium has
aced the Sentosa integrated resort project.
The result, just announced by Deputy Prime Minister Professor S
Jayakumar at a news conference, came as no surprise as analysts had
picked Genting as a frontrunner right from the start.
Its $5.2 billion Resorts World At Sentosa will leverage on
international brand names like Universal Studios, which will design
16 new rides specially for the resort.
Besides the Universal Studios theme park, there will also be 3
other water-themed attractions, including a surf pool.
Visitors will be able to observe some 700,000 fish species in one
of the world's largest oceanariums.
Genting's proposal also includes six hotels with over 1,800 rooms
for both leisure and business travellers.
Earlier, market watchers had picked Genting as a favourite to win
due to its Asian experience.
The resort is expected to attract 10 million visitors and generate
$15 billion in tourism receipts by 2015.
The Sentosa integrated resort is expected to be ready in
2010.
In a statement to the media, Kerzner-CapitaLand expressed their
disappointment in not being selected for the Sentosa IR, but
congratulated Genting International-Star Cruises for winning the
bid. - CNA /dt