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SINGAPORE: With preparations underway at Resorts World Sentosa (RWS) to open its casino in time for Chinese New Year, those seeking the thrill of theme park rides will have to wait a little longer.
Media reports this week had speculated that RWS' casino and Universal Studios theme park will open in time for the festive holidays.
MediaCorp understands that Universal Studios Singapore will throw open its gates a few weeks later after it completes the final safety checks.
Responding to queries, RWS spokesman Robin Goh said: "We are on track to opening the theme park in the first quarter of 2010."
Analysts said that while the ideal situation is for both the casino and theme park to open at the same time to capitalise on the CNY holidays, RWS can still expect to reap dividends from opening the casino first.
Chesterton Suntec International head of research and consultancy, Mr Colin Tan, said: "To hold back the casino means they lose money, so it is better to open as early as possible to start earning money.
"Chinese New Year is the best time to open. That is when they get the most publicity. It is also nice to start the New Year with a casino."
But with the weekend inching closer and no firm date for the casino opening announced, it may now be too late for tourists to fly in to gamble at the RWS casino.
Travel agents told MediaCorp that flights to Singapore over the weekend were full. While there are still hotel rooms available in the city, hotels in Sentosa are fully booked for the weekend.
Ms Alicia Seah, CTC Holidays' senior vice-president of marketing and public relations, said she expects visitors to RWS this weekend to comprise of mainly Singaporeans - instead of tour groups whose travel plans would have been firmed up for the weekend.
And while some Singaporeans told MediaCorp they are planning to visit RWS during the festive break, several others have no intention of doing so even with the casino thrown in as an added attraction.
Said 27-year-old Ken Sim: "I am not a gambler so there is no point making the trip down. And the opening date is not confirmed yet, so I will just be visiting relatives and friends during the holidays."
- TODAY/sc
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