April 05, 2024, 06:49 PM
After several delays, the expansion of Marina Bay Sands (MBS) will begin by July 2025 and is scheduled to be completed by July 2029.
The S$4.5 billion expansion will include a fourth tower, a luxury hotel tower with a sky roof, a 15,000-seat entertainment arena, and additional MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions) space.
The new tower will be next to the current three towers on a bare plot flanked by Bayfront Avenue, Sheares Avenue and Sheares Link.
In the press release on Apr. 5, MBS stated that the expansion will be important in driving additional travellers to Singapore.
"With the ongoing support of the Singapore Government, this development will further enhance the leisure and business tourism appeal of Singapore," said Patrick Dumont, President and Chief Operating Officer of MBS's parent company, Las Vegas Sands (LVS).
"This significant investment in Singapore will help ensure Marina Bay Sands is ideally positioned to grow its economic, employment, and visitorship contributions in the years ahead," he added.
An artist's impression of the 15,000-seat entertainment arena. Image by MBS.
Delays and extensions
The plans to start the MBS expansion were delayed several times.
In April 2019, MBS and the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) signed an agreement for MBS to construct a new development.
Under the agreement, MBS was to commence construction by Apr. 8, 2022.
However, on Mar. 29, 2022, MBS and STB agreed to extend the construction commencement date by a year to Apr. 8, 2023.
In February 2023, it was reported that the MBS expansion would be delayed with no firm commencement date as LVS did not expect to start certain construction projects by the agreed deadline in April 2023.
In March 2023, the plans to start the MBS expansion were delayed again.
The deadline to begin construction was shifted back to Apr. 8, 2024, and the completion date was set for Apr. 8, 2028.
LVS stated in an earnings presentation that "the budget and timing of the MBS expansion are subject to revision based upon the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and other factors".
The latest update in January 2024 was that the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) had approved MBS's development of the fourth tower.
Top photo via MBS
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