What's New

From 2009 onward, Singapore's downtown will look like a completely different place. In November 2008, the city completed the Marina Barrage, a giant dam project at the mouth of Marina Bay, which transformed the bay into a freshwater reservoir. Located in the heart of the city, the bay will support water sports and entertainment, and will be surrounded by parks and promenades that will enhance Singapore's waterfront lifestyle feel. The Marina Barrage also includes The Sustainable Singapore Gallery, a high-tech museum devoted to showcasing Singapore's efforts toward environmental sustainability.

A huge parcel of reclaimed land is currently being developed with wide avenues and futuristic infrastructure to support office towers, luxury high-rise condominiums, and a new financial center. An extension of the Shenton Way business district, the new area is being developed as a 'round-the-clock hub for working, living, and playing.

The centerpiece of the new downtown development is the Marina Bay Sands, Singapore's first casino, built by Las Vegas Sands, which has invested S$5 billion (US$3.4 billion/£2.3 billion). The huge complex will also feature 110,000 sq. m (1,184,029 sq. ft.) of meeting and convention space, two 2,000-seat theaters, three hotel towers, an ArtScience museum, luxury retail outlets, dining venues in floating pavilions on the bay, plus innovative public spaces that include a rooftop park with a 360-degree city view, an ice skating rink, and indoor canals. The complex will open in stages from late 2009.

Towering above the Marina Bay, the Singapore Flyer, the world's largest observation wheel, has good views of all the construction.

There are also plans to join two landmark buildings within the Historic District -- City Hall and the old Supreme Court building -- and convert them into a large exhibition space for contemporary arts in Singapore and Southeast Asia, with visiting exhibits from around the world. The new art gallery, alongside The Arts House at the Old Parliament and The Esplanade-Theatres on the Bay, will turn the former colonial administrative heart of Singapore into a vibrant arts hub.

On Sentosa Island, a second casino complex, Resorts World at Sentosa, is being developed by Genting International and Star Cruises, who will invest S$5.2 billion (US$3.5 billion/£2.3 billion) to build an enormous facility on Sentosa Island. Geared toward family and leisure activities, the casino will be supported by spa resort accommodations, restaurants, and bars, plus retail and entertainment outlets. Perhaps the most exciting part of the package will be the addition of Universal Studios Singapore, promised to be Asia's largest, with 22 attractions in themed "worlds," including "Journey to Madagascar," and a DreamWorks Digital Animation Studio. Also in the works is the Quest Marine Life Park, with the largest single marine tank in the world, and an interactive dolphin habitat. The Equarius Water Park will feature water rides and a maritime museum. Three amphitheaters will have international entertainment, including a resident show from the creators of Cirque du Soleil. Resorts World at Sentosa is scheduled to open in stages starting in 2010.