Marina Bay Sands begins $1b property overhaul

Sands Provides Update to Marina Bay Sands Upgrades

Posted on: February 9, 2022 - Erik Gibbs
www.casino.org/news/las-vegas-sands-provides-update-to-marina-bay-sands-upgrades/

Sands indicated in January that it would add $1 billion in upgrades to Singapore’s Marina Bay Sands (MBS) casino resort. It has now provided an update on what’s coming and when the upgrades will be complete.


Marina Bay Sands continues to get showered with money by parent company Sands. New upgrades to hotel rooms and suites, as well as a new restaurant, are coming this year and next. (Image: Conde Nast Traveler)

Sands has been working on upgrades to MBS worth $3.3 billion for the past couple of years. That investment is part of a larger agreement with Singapore that extended the operator’s regional exclusivity through 2030, if not later.

Ongoing Renovations Face Obstacles
The renovations originally had a completion date of some time in 2025. However, the schedule changed because of COVID-19. Currently, they’re on track for a 2026 conclusion.

Sands then announced last month in an earnings call that it was adding another $1 billion into the mix. A press release from earlier this week shed light on what the operator has in mind.

Our reinvestment as well as our planned multibillion-dollar expansion that we announced in 2019 represent a further demonstration of our long-term support for Singapore,” asserts LVS chairman and CEO Robert Goldstein.

All rooms and suites in two of the three hotel towers at MBS are receiving an “extensive” rework. Additionally, the 55th floor of all three towers will receive changes. Among these will be a renovation of the executive club lounge, the health facilities, and the high-end dining area.

The property will also add a new restaurant to its amenities. Wakuda, developed by Japanese-born Australian chef Tetsuya Wakuda and restauranteur John Kunkel, is coming as soon as the final plates and tablecloths are in place. Kunkel is the founder of 50 Eggs Hospitality Group and describes Wakuda as “a bold, artful collision of time and culture, traditional eastern mythology, and seductive design.”

Sands Prepares the Wow Factor
MBS COO Paul Town didn’t want to put too many details about the upgrades out there yet. He said in the press release that more information will be coming “in the months ahead” as border restrictions ease to allow greater traffic.

Singapore eased travel restrictions last September before bringing back tighter travel controls in December. The omicron variant of COVID-19 proved to be debilitating for a number of countries.

However, in the middle of January, Singapore was able to ease up once again on the restrictions. It began selling bus and airline tickets for travel between Malaysia and the country. There were only half the amount of tickets available that would normally be seen, and only vaccinated travelers can make the trip.

Singapore will continue to relax the restrictions as warranted, and MBS will be ready as it does. The second set of upgrades that are currently underway will conclude in stages between this year and 2023, and the casino will unveil the changes “as international travel returns following the easing of border restrictions.”