Marina Bay Sands' $8B Expansion Project Gets Underway
Las Vegas Sands has officially commenced the $8 billion expansion of its iconic Marina Bay Sands (MBS) integrated resort in Singapore. The groundbreaking ceremony, held on Tuesday, marks the beginning of a significant development project that will further strengthen the resort's status as a leading destination in Asia’s tourism and hospitality sector.
LISTEN TO THIS ARTICLE:The event was attended by key figures, including Dr. Miriam Adelson, co-founder of Sands and widow of co-founder Sheldon Adelson; company President and COO Patrick Dumont and Singapore's Prime Minister, Lawrence Wong.
Related: LVS Expects More Delays in Marina Bay Sands ExpansionAt the core of the expansion is the construction of a new luxury hotel tower comprising 570 suites. The tower will feature the signature rooftop experience that has become synonymous with MBS. In addition, approximately 200,000 square feet of premium meeting and event space will be included, aimed at attracting international business tourism and large-scale conventions.
The project will also introduce a 15,000-seat indoor arena, purpose-built to elevate the live entertainment landscape in Singapore and across the region. Sands stated that the arena will help position the resort as a key hub for concerts and major events in Asia, reflecting growing demand for world-class entertainment venues.
Dumont emphasized the strategic importance of the expansion, noting that continued investment in Singapore is essential for maintaining leadership in the global tourism and hospitality industry. He described Singapore as an incredibly desirable destination and explained that the new development represents the next phase in the company's commitment to high-value tourism investment and long-term growth in the region.
The groundbreaking follows the recent completion of a major $1.75 billion renovation of the existing hotel facilities at MBS. The multi-year project included upgrades across the entire room inventory, expanding the resort’s suite offerings significantly. MBS now features a total of 1,850 rooms, including 775 suites, up from just 180 prior to the renovation.
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Singapore Tourism Approaches Pre-COVID-19 Levels
The expansion announcement coincided with new tourism data released by the Singapore Tourism Board, highlighting continued growth in international arrivals. In June, Singapore recorded 1.25 million visitor arrivals, bringing the total for the first half of 2025 to 8.33 million. This figure represents an 89.4% recovery compared to the same period in 2019, the year before the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted global travel.
Of the June arrivals, approximately 924,230 were overnight visitors, accounting for 74% of the monthly total. The top five source markets for the month were Indonesia, China, India, Malaysia, and Australia. Visitor numbers from Indonesia, Malaysia, and Australia grew year-on-year, although the average stay duration for these travelers remained below the overall international average of 3.7 days.
China and India saw a year-on-year decline in visitor numbers for June. However, travelers from India had the longest average stay of any major market at 7.16 days. Chinese visitors stayed an average of 3.67 days, which is close to the overall mean. The mid-year visitor total of 8.33 million is up 1.9% from the first half of 2024 and is closing in on the pre-pandemic benchmark of 9.32 million arrivals set in the first six months of 2019.
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