Paul Town, the Chief Operating Officer of Singapore’s Marina Bay Sands, has hailed the property’s multi-billion-dollar reinvestment program after the iconic integrated resort celebrated its 15th birthday on Sunday.
In comments published on official social media, Town highlighted recent reinvestment into the refurbishment of MBS’s three hotel towers and specifically the scheduled early May opening of The Sands Collection and The Paiza Collection hotel room offering, which will bring the total key count to 1,850 rooms including 775 suites once available.
“15 years ago, the environment was very different,” he said. “The Singapore Government had an incredible vision, recognizing that integrated resorts have the potential to attract higher value tourists and put Singapore on the world map for luxury hospitality.
“In the first decade, our strategy centered around establishing ourselves as a world-class player in this space. It’s a responsibility we take very seriously, and we have become an icon of Singapore.”
Pointing to the evolution of travelers in the 15 years since MBS opened its doors, Town added, “Over the last five years, there has been a transition around the world in the luxury space. Luxury travelers have changed their behavior. They’ve become much more engaged in their destinations. They’ve been starting to look well beyond just the kind of transactional elements of a tourism experience and into more lifestyle elements.”
MBS is due to break ground on a massive US$8 billion expansion project in the coming months, adding a fourth hotel tower including new casino space, 570 luxury suites, a 15,000-seat arena, 110,000 square feet of MICE space, its own SkyPark and high-end F&B. The expansion project has been dubbed Marina Bay Sands IR2.
