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Eighth Wonder submits $5.5b bid for Sentosa Integrated ResortBy S Ramesh, Channel NewsAsia
Posted: 31 October 2006 1550 hrs
SINGAPORE: The final bidder for Sentosa's Integrated Resort project, Las Vegas-based Eighth Wonder, revealed its S$5.5 billion plans to develop what it calls "Harry's Island" on Tuesday.
Eighth Wonder's Chairman Mark Advent intends for Harry's Island to be iconic, creative and one-of-a-kind.
He has lined up an international star-studded cast to work with him in developing the Sentosa project.
"There is a spirit that is special about Sentosa regardless. It is an amazing place. It is a lush tropical serene paradise, and now it is evolving as a place for commerce, hospitality, residential and, ultimately in the future, an integrated resort," Advent says.
"So it's a very fine balance to figure out that place where all of these different elements could co-exist in a manner that is sensitive to all. Ultimately, when you isolate it into an integrated resort directive, there is a huge opportunity to create world-class excitement, entertainment, must-see appeal just by the type of project we are proposing," he adds.
When completed, Harry's Island will have 10 world-class, luxury and family-oriented hotels.
Among the new features is a tree house with family suites and a 7,500-seat Caldera Theatre with nightly spectacular shows.
Louis Parenteau, President of Dragone Entertainment, says: "Our main concern of this venture would be to create a show which will be done for the Asian people, that people recognise themselves in this show and, at the same time, we want it to be an attraction to a worldwide public.
"People in Singapore have already seen the touring show which Franco Dragone has created. The permanent shows of the nature that we are talking here is of a totally different, totally different world. The theatre itself and all the mechanics and technical are done so that you create a universe which is totally peculiar to the show.
"Our shows are not using any language exactly for that purpose because we want the show to be accessible to a larger public. But we want people here in Singapore, China and Malaysia to feel this is going to be something which belongs to this market and will grow as our shows are always work-in-progress."
Harry's Island will create nearly 15,000 jobs, including 5,000 in the food and beverage business.
For the health-conscious, there will be a wellness centre and spa retreat run by doctor and writer Deepak Chopra.
Soccer fans will benefit from a football academy and stadium with Brazilian soccer star Pele giving his inputs.
Eighth Wonder says it wants to turn Harry's Island into a global, world class, must-visit destination.
If it wins the bid to construct the Sentosa Integrated Resort, it hopes to achieve the vision of attracting at least 15 million tourists annually by 2014.
The company believes it can recover its investments by 2015, by generating S$5.6 billion in visitor-spending in five years.
The Singapore government has indicated that the winning bid for the Sentosa IR would be known in December. - CNA/so
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