Las Vegas Sands marked a momentous milestone on Tuesday evening with the groundbreaking of its new US$8 billion ultra-luxurious resort and entertainment destination in Singapore, expanding its regional footprint and strengthening its commitment to the Republic’s future.

The occasion was officiated by Singapore’s Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Lawrence Wong; Minister for Sustainability and the Environment and Minister-in-charge of Trade Relations Grace Fu; and Las Vegas Sands co-founder Dr Miriam Adelson, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Robert Goldstein, and President and Chief Operating Officer Patrick Dumont.

Robert Goldstein, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Las Vegas Sands, said: “With its opening in 2010, our founder Sheldon G. Adelson embarked on a journey in Singapore with Marina Bay Sands and the people of Singapore that promised to change the face of tourism in the region. Fifteen years later, we have delivered on these ambitions and more. Marina Bay Sands is the world’s most successful integrated resort in history, and the gold standard in the industry. It has been truly incredible to witness Mr Adelson’s vision come to life, and we are proud to carry his legacy forward with today’s groundbreaking ceremony for our new development here.  We have every intention of delivering a product that will be the envy of the hospitality industry and ushers in a new era of luxury tourism in Singapore.”

When completed, the new development is set to redefine industry standards further and push boundaries in the realms of luxury tourism, hospitality and entertainment, curating the finest and most exclusive suite of experiences for travellers.

The pioneering project will feature a soaring 570-suite luxury hotel tower capped with signature rooftop and dining experiences, luxury retail boutiques, gaming, holistic spa and wellness amenities, and approximately 200,000 square feet of premium meeting space. A purpose-built 15,000-seat arena situated against the stunning backdrop of Marina Bay aims to enhance the live entertainment scene in Asia.ADVERTISEMENTProving to be another extraordinary feat of engineering, the new property is being designed by the acclaimed Safdie Architects, led by Moshe Safdie—the visionary firm behind Marina Bay Sands’ world-renowned design.

A World Beyond

Rotated at a 45-degree angle to frame panoramic views of both the Marina Bay and the Singapore Strait, the 55-storey hotel tower rises with its twin wings curving outward as they ascend toward the sky.

Taking inspiration from the island’s lush urban greenery, the development will see biophilic designs being integrated throughout the building along with a significant proportion of green amenities.

The crowning achievement of the hotel tower is the revolutionary 76,000-square-foot Skyloop — a breathtaking haven that intuitively combines both elevated public and private spaces.

As a counterpart to the iconic Sands SkyPark at Marina Bay Sands, the Skyloop’s form is defined by overlapping elliptical volumes that spiral in opposing directions, giving the tower an overall dynamic quality, and affording 360-degree views.  The lower Skyloop interweaves several points of public access, including an observatory, destination restaurants and lush rooftop gardens. Above, hotel guests can enjoy secluded experiences: private cabanas, infinity-edge pools and shading palms. There will also be a cantilevered wellness terrace that is designed for yoga, arts and specialty events.

Situated adjacent to the hotel tower, the podium serves as a bustling hotspot for business, entertainment and cultural exchange. At its core is a 15,000-seat state-of-the-art arena being helmed by global design firm Populous—responsible for some of the world’s most recognisable entertainment venues, including the Sphere in Las Vegas and the O2 Arena in London.

Specially designed to host the highest calibre of regional and international touring acts, concerts and large-scale live events, the venue will be optimised for unparalleled acoustics, sightlines and production flexibility.

The venue will also be integrated with new and existing developments within the Marina Bay precinct for greater efficiency and pedestrian connectivity, providing direct access to Bayfront MRT station and linkways between Marina Bay and Gardens by the Bay.

More than 220 guests attended the groundbreaking event tonight, which featured captivating performances by homegrown artist Jasmine Sokko and Canadian singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Henry Lau. The lavish affair was accompanied by a curated culinary experience from Marina Bay Sands’ signature restaurants, including a taste preview of upcoming Cantonese restaurant Jin Ting Wan.

To commemorate the occasion, Marina Bay Sands was illuminated in a wash of golden hues—a stunning public spectacle that spanned the entire property from its three towers and the SkyPark Observation Deck to the Marina Bay Sands Expo & Convention Centre.

In celebration of the milestone year of SG60, Marina Bay Sands also commissioned a cinematic tribute to the nation. Titled “Nothing Comes by Chance”, the film by local director Kirsten Tan reflects on Singapore’s commitment to shaping a bright future, underscored by resilience, ambition and constant reinvention that parallels Marina Bay Sands’ growth and spirit. It features prominent Singaporean talents who have helped define its global presence across arts, culture, sports and entertainment, such as Tan Kheng Hua, Quah Zheng Wen, Pierre Png and Jasmine Sokko—offering a heartfelt ode to the nation.

Shaping a Greener Horizon

In line with Marina Bay Sands’ global strategy Sands ECO360, sustainability will remain at the heart of the new building’s architecture and operations.

Different approaches towards designing shade for guest comfort and reduced energy consumption are being explored. This includes a self-shading façade system that utilises high-performance glazing and internal blinds to lower direct solar heat transfer and improve energy efficiency. Each suite will have its own private terrace and garden, while outdoor dining venues will be fitted with canopies to shield guests from the elements. Tree species native to the Southeast Asian region will also be planted where possible, paying tribute to the development’s prime location.

As construction works proceed, best practices will be adopted including the use of materials with reduced environmental impact such as low-carbon concrete and recycled steel to lower the project’s upfront environmental footprint. A construction waste management plan has also been set in place, where on-site segregation and recycling will be implemented and at least 75 per cent of construction waste will be diverted to significantly reduce landfill disposal.

Towards New Heights

Since its inception, Marina Bay Sands has become an iconic symbol of Singapore, transforming the nation’s tourism landscape as a leading leisure, business and entertainment destination in Asia. It hosted a record-breaking 2,200 events last year, drawing 1.2 million MICE delegates. In March this year, the property welcomed its 500 millionth visitor.

With more than 12,000 Team Members directly employed by the integrated resort and 92 per cent of procurement spent on local businesses in 2024, it has also contributed to Singapore’s economy through the creation of new jobs and support for homegrown small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). These figures are set to rise in the coming years as Marina Bay Sands expands its operations in Singapore.

“Over the years, Marina Bay Sands has been integral in strengthening Singapore’s position as a major tourism powerhouse. By the time our new ultra-luxury development is complete, Las Vegas Sands will have invested more than US$15 billion since we started operations in Singapore in 2010. This speaks volumes of our confidence in this region, and the potential that we continue to see in Singapore,” said Patrick Dumont, President and Chief Operating Officer of Las Vegas Sands. 

“We are privileged to have benefited over the past 15 years from factors that make Singapore great – excellent infrastructure, and a strong and supportive government with a forward-looking vision.”

Mr Dumont added: “We are proud of the transformative impact that Marina Bay Sands has had and are highly optimistic about building on this strong foundation. Our new development will raise the bar and redefine the ultra-luxury hospitality realm on a global scale, fuelling further growth of high-value tourism while our state-of-art arena will attract the world’s most popular performers and usher in a new era of live entertainment in the region. We look forward to forging a new chapter together and continuing to contribute meaningfully to Singapore’s future success.”

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Source: breakingtravelnews.com