Wow...this must be one of the most unique real estate masterpiece I've ever seen. The 'sky-garden deck' on top of those buildings were just awesome. Imagine you have your morning walk in the garden while enjoying the panoramic view of the city skyline high above the sky! Conceptually you live, work, relax, play and enjoy...all at one place. This is a truly refined contemporary urban lifestyle!

Looking back at facts

The Marina Bay Sands is a microcosm of a city. It is a district, not a project and must possess all the attributes that have made cities great. Historic cities always possessed a clear hierarchy of urban place that gave it a sense of orientation and location, and were the focus of civic life. For example, Greek and Roman cities were organised around monumental axes, Chinese cities were structured around classical constructs of the courtyard and the wall.

The Marina Bay Sands is a new type of urban place that integrates the waterfront promenade with the grand, multi-levelled retail arcade combining civic space, shopping, indoor and outdoor spaces endowed with city skyline views, daylight and plant life, providing an abundance and variety of activities.

Outline Source: Moshe Safdie and Associates

The news just in...

The Singapore government announced late Friday that it has chosen the world's largest casino operator, Las Vegas Sands Corp. to build and manage the city-state's first casino. The Marina Bay Sands project is estimated to cost at least US$3.2 billion by the time it is scheduled to open in just 3 to 4 years from now.

Las Vegas Sands won the bid over four consortia, which included other top casino operators from United States' such as Harrah's and MGM Mirage, and Malaysia's Genting. In this winning bid, Sands was advised by Singapore property firm City Developments Ltd.

It is believed that the casino development would become one of the costliest in the world. Besides casino, Sands' 20.6 hectare downtown intergrated resort would also consists of conference halls, museums, performance venues and luxury hotels.

This is the first of two planned casino within an integrated resort that was mooted by the Singapore government to boost its flagging tourism sector. The winner for the second casino is to be announced by the end of the year.

Link: Latest on this News

My say, your say...

The building of casinos in Singapore would have a huge impact on the well-being of the society. The idea of having casinos in the city-state have been hotly debated for many months. Below are some advantages and disadvantages of this idea:

Advantages:

1. Revenue for government (through taxes) and local companies involved.

2. A significant boost to tourist arrivals and the tourism sector as a whole.

3. Creates employment, thus decreases the unemployment rate.

4. The spillover effects would create new economic activities.

Without doubt, the people of Singapore would benefit economically.

Disadvantages:

1. Increase in crime rates and vice activities.

2. Gambling habits (among population) on the rise.

3. Suicides over gambling debts occur with alarming frequency.

4. Overcrowding and traffic congestions in city areas.

Without doubt, the society would experience a sharp rise in social ills.