Marina Bay Sands Singapore

The Marina Bay Sands (abbreviation : MBS) is an integrated resort fronting Marina Bay within the Downtown Core district of Singapore. At its opening in 2010, it was billed as the world's most expensive standal one casino property at S$ 8 billion (US$6.88 billion), including the land cost. It is owned by the Singaporean subsidiary of the Las Vegas Sands Corporation.

Designed by Moshe Safdie, the resort includes a 2,561-room hotel, a 120,000-square-metre (1,300,000 sq ft) convention-exhibition centre, the 74,000-square-metre (800,000 sq ft) The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands mall, a museum, a large theatre, "celebrity chef" restaurants, two floating crystal pavilions, art-science exhibits, and the world's largest atrium casino with 500 tables and 1,600 slot machines. The complex includes three towers topped by a connecting 340-metre-long (1,120 ft) SkyPark with a capacity of 3,902 people and a 150 m (490 ft) infinity swimming pool, set on top of the world's largest public cantilevered  platform, which overhangs the north tower by 66.5 m (218 ft). 

The building and its surrounds was originally set to open in 2009, but its construction faced slight delays caused by escalating costs of material and labour shortages, aggravated from the global financial crisis at the time. This pressured Las Vegas Sands to delay its projects elsewhere to complete the integrated resort within considerable time. It ultimately decided to open the integrated resort in stages, which was approved by the Singaporean government.

The resort and SkyPark were officially opened on 23 and 24 June 2010 as part of a two-day celebration, following the casino's opening on 27 April that year. The SkyPark opened the following day. The theatre was completed in time for the first performance of Riverdance on 30 November. The indoor skating rink, which uses artificial ice, opened to a performance by Michelle Kwan on 18 December, but has been permanently replaced by a digital new exhibit also known as Digital Light Canvas, an attraction done by Japanese art collective teamLab. The grand opening of Marina Bay Sands was held on 17 February 2011. It also marked the opening of the seven celebrity chef restaurants, such as Gordon Ramsay. The ArtScience Museum opened to the public and the debut of a 13-minute light, laser and water show two days later on 19 February 2011 marked the full completion of the integrated resort.

As of 2020, its crystal pavilions are anchored by an Apple Store and the world's largest Louis Vuitton boutique, both located on a floating island at 1,900 m² (20,000 sq ft), which is connected to the Shoppes via an underwater tunnel. Marina Bay Sands is also set to have a fourth tower constructed in the near future, adjacent to the existing tri-towers, at an approximate USD 3.3 billion investment, in its bid to attract more international visitors.

(Original source : Wikipedia, Photo source : Sabudi Prasetyo)