No proposal awarded for Jurong Lake District integrated tourism development

SINGAPORE: No proposal has been awarded to develop and operate an integrated tourism development at Jurong Lake District.

In March, the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) launched a request for proposals to develop and run the site. The tender seeking process has concluded.

In response to CNA's queries, STB's director of attractions, entertainment and tourism concept development Ashlynn Loo on Thursday (Dec 15) said: "We understand from stakeholders that the geo-political and the uncertain economic environment in the earlier part of the year affected the response to the RFP.

"STB will continue to assess market sentiments and study various possibilities for this tourism development.

"With the strong recovery in tourism demand, we remain confident in the potential of the site, which is adjacent to the new Science Centre and Jurong Lake Gardens, which offers expansive views and water frontage of Jurong Lake."

Upon the tender award, the entire site would have been leased to the successful developer for 60 years and must have been completed within five years of the date the proposal was accepted.

In March, STB said it expects the development to comprise "high-quality accommodation" with an estimated 350 hotel rooms, as well as a mix of attractions, retail, food and beverage, and entertainment offerings.

Plans for the development of a 6.8ha site next to Jurong Lake to become a key lifestyle and tourism hub in Singapore’s largest business district outside the central business district were previously announced in 2019. A 2026 target that was given then was pushed back to 2028.

STB said in March the new development should have a focus on technology, "edutainment" and sustainability.

Spanning 410ha, Jurong Lake District has four main precincts: Jurong Gateway, the existing commercial node around Jurong East MRT station; Lakeside East, a new mixed-use precinct around the future Cross-Island Line station; Lakeside West, a complementary leisure and recreational precinct surrounding Jurong Lake Gardens; and the International Business Park.

"Plans are also in place to develop Jurong Lake District as a major transport hub that connects existing and future rail lines, together with a comprehensive intra and inter-district bus network that will link the district to surrounding estates," STB said then.