Why I think the west deserves places like S’pore EXPO more than the east

I’m a Westie.

But I have to admit, the east side is just as happening as the west side.

For example, Jewel is in the east, Sports Hub is in the east, and Singapore EXPO is also in the east.

Among them, I travel the most to the Singapore EXPO due to all the fairs and events held there.

Recently, I was told they hold concerts there too.

So here’s why I think the west deserves the Singapore EXPO more than the east.

A great concert venue the west side of S’pore needs

Even though the west side of Singapore has many great things, what it needs is more events and concert venues.

Nowadays, for the majority of concerts and events, people have to head to the east, as the bigger names, such as Singapore EXPO, SportsHub, and indoor stadiums, are all there.

And I think the west deserves some of these venues.

For example, Singapore EXPO, in addition to the many events it is already widely known for, has enhanced venue offerings that include Arena @ EXPO (Hall 7), a plug-and-play multi-purpose concert hall.

It boasts high-quality acoustics and advanced tech systems, and its capacity of up to 6,700 attendees is perfect for mid-sized concerts.

Some of their upcoming acts include artistes like Regine Velasquez, Laufey, Highlight and Madison Beer.

From concerts to fan meets, Singapore EXPO’s versatile and flexible spaces also have the capability to host larger-sized concerts by combining multiple halls.

For example, Alan Walker’s Asia Tour in June was held across Halls 3 and 4.

A place with good food options & many other activities

One thing is for sure: the west enjoys great food, and I’m sure there are a lot more good food options in the west than in the east.

But there are not many options if we want a place with both good food and concert/event/entertainment spaces.

If we look at Singapore EXPO, it has quite a diverse range of halal-friendly food options, many of which are yummy and affordable.

Right outside Hall 5, you can find MarketPlace @ Singapore EXPO.

Looking for local food? There are stalls like Juxing Hainanese Boneless Chicken Rice, Huat Huat BBQ chicken wings and more.

Looking for other Southeast Asian food? There’s GX Banh Mi, Iskina Cebu, and 555 Villa Thai.

There are also burgers and Western food, such as Butcher The Burger Bar and Bistro Ave, or fusion offerings like The Burning Oak.

Besides MarketPlace’s great ambience, if you’re into great music while eating, there’s also a live band on weekend nights.

Singapore EXPO also has restaurants like the Tag Restaurant & Bar for those who are in the mood for a nice cold beer to end the night.

Badminton courts

What’s even more interesting about Singapore EXPO is that it not only has entertainment spaces and food, but it also has badminton courts.

Not just one or two badminton courts, but 25 of them.

Singapore EXPO houses Singapore's largest indoor badminton hall, SBH East Coast @ EXPO.

The 25 badminton courts it has were also recently refurbished with new shower facilities. It even has private suites that can be booked to play in privacy with friends and family.

It’s kind of difficult to book badminton courts in the west nowadays. It won’t be much of a problem if we had Singapore EXPO.

More events

If you’re not into sports and looking for somewhere to chill after work or a meeting or function nearby, the Singapore EXPO almost always has events going on, such as travel fairs, pop-up activations, festivals, and more.

For example, Singapore EXPO recently held the PetExpo 2024 and Artbox 2024. There are more incoming, such as the Natas Holidays 2024 and Baby Land’s Baby Fair 2024.

Parking lots & EV charging stations

Even if I am going to certain places or malls in the west, I sometimes still drive instead of taking public transport, either for supposedly more convenience or necessity.

It’s “supposedly more convenient” because it’s a chore to find parking lots.

It’s also why I think the west should have more places like Singapore EXPO with humongous parking spaces — 1,900 parking lots.

Not only that, but another plus of Singapore EXPO’s car park is that it has many EV charging stations — it’s pretty much the largest EV charging hub in the east of Singapore.

If you can’t drive, there’s always public transport — Singapore EXPO has two dedicated MRT line stations.

I won’t be able to walk to the Singapore EXPO from where I stay, but I will certainly celebrate if I can one day.

Maybe I should just move to the east.

You can also find out more about the Singapore EXPO yourself here.

This sponsored article made the writer contemplate whether he should be staying in the east instead of the west.

Top photos from Singapore EXPO.