RWS waterfront development set to open by 2030; to feature 88m-tall sculpture, 'mountain' trail
Resorts World Sentosa broke ground on its new waterfront development on Friday.
SINGAPORE: Resorts World Sentosa's (RWS) waterfront is set to get a new look by 2030.
A development featuring a promenade, a "mountain trail" and an 88m-tall light sculpture will be built as part of the resort's expansion plans, and is expected to be a "defining feature of the new RWS".
The waterfront development will be located near the SEA Aquarium and behind the Malaysian Food Street. The promenade will connect to the Sentosa Boardwalk, which visitors use to walk to Sentosa from VivoCity.
A key landmark attraction will be the light sculpture, which "comes alive" at dusk for nightly shows, RWS said in a press release on Friday (Nov 15).
"This striking structure will be set within a generous open waterfront park that will revitalise Singapore's skyline," the resort said.
The structure is designed by the award-winning Heatherwick Studio, which is based in London and designed The Hive at Nanyang Technological University. It is also working on Changi Airport's fifth terminal.
Besides more retail, dining and entertainment options as well as two new hotels with 700 rooms, RWS' waterfront development will include an "immersive, experiential mountain trail".
The scenic climb to an 88m summit highlights the beauty of nature, the resort said.
"At the peak, visitors will be rewarded with sweeping, breathtaking views of Singapore’s central business district from the south, as well as the Greater Southern Waterfront, Sentosa and beyond," said RWS.
A path called the Sunset Trail leads back to the waterfront promenade. Visitors will pass through areas designed to show the harmony between humans, nature and technology.
The details were announced as RWS held a groundbreaking ceremony for the waterfront development.
RWS chief executive officer Tan Hee Teck said the development underscores the company's steadfast commitment to bolstering Singapore's identity as a premier global lifestyle destination.
Minister of State for Trade and Industry Alvin Tan said it is an exciting new addition to Singapore's vibrant tourism landscape.
“I look forward to its completion and the unique experiences it will offer to both international and local visitors,” he said.
RWS first announced that it would be upgrading its waterfront in 2019 as part of its "RWS 2.0" expansion. At the time, they said it would cost S$4.5 billion (US$3.3 billion) but the figure was later revised to S$6.8 billion, which would be invested over eight years.
RWS's gross floor area is expected to expand by 50 per cent, with more than 164,000 sqm to be added. The resort said then there were plans to build a Super Nintendo World in Universal Studios Singapore (USS), although no updates were given on this front.
The world's first Super Nintendo World opened in Universal Studios Japan in Osaka in 2021.
The RWS 2.0 expansion includes a soft opening for Minion Land in the USS and a luxury all-suite hotel replacing Hard Rock Hotel Singapore in the first quarter of next year.
The SEA Aquarium will be rebranded as the Singapore Oceanarium - which is three times larger. Its soft opening will take place in the first half of 2025.