Construction of Resorts World Sentosa’s SG$6.8 billion (US$5 billion) waterfront expansion is officially underway after the company celebrated its long-awaited ground-breaking on Friday.
At special ceremony attended by RWS CEO Tan Hee Teck and Minister of State for Trade and Industry, and Culture, Community and Youth Alvin Tan, among others, RWS said via a social media announcement that it marked the occasion by planting Hopea odorata saplings, a species native to Singapore, which will be nurtured in a nursery until the new outdoor space is ready to welcome them.
“This symbolic gesture reflects RWS’ commitment to sustainability and the integration of local flora into the development,” it said.
As previously reported by IAG, the development will add around 700 hotel keys to the RWS offering and form what Genting describes as a “monumental gateway to RWS and the new Greater Southern Waterfront precinct.”
The broader RWS 2.0 expansion will also see Universal Studios Singapore updated with a new immersive themed zone, Illumination’s Minion Land, while the S.E.A. Aquarium will triple in size and be rebranded as the Singapore Oceanarium. The main outdoor Forum area will also be transformed, with this, Minion Land and the Singapore Oceanarium expected to soft open in early 2025.
Genting Singapore’s Executive Chairman Lim Kok Thay has described the development as an “incredible opportunity to upscale” the RWS integrated resort experience and continue to drive growth, with the project to be gradually rolled out over the next eight years.
