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  The Straits Times 9 Dec 06
Planned Marina South Oceanarium one too many?
by Krist Boo

Today Online 7 Dec 06
Water, water everywhere ... Singapore Flyer's developer awaits approval of proposed $300-million oceanarium
Jasmine Yin jasmine@mediacorp.com.sg

SINGAPOREANS can take their pick of not just one but two oceanariums, if a second tourism proposal by the developer behind the Singapore Flyer takes off at Marina Bay.

Mr Peter Purcell, managing director of Orient and Pacific Group, is waiting anxiously for the official nod to his water-based project.

"Within 24 hours after signing the deal for the Singapore Flyer in September 2005, I made it known to the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) that our group was prepared to make a similar, or even larger, investment into the tourism sector of Singapore," Mr Purcell told Today.

His group's proposed Singapore Oceanarium--to be built at a cost of $300 million excluding land price--will feature an Antarctic tank with swimming penguins, apart from gallons of water and sea mammals.

If the go-ahead is given, it will be up and running in two years' time.

Since late last year, the consortium of local and foreign investors--who, except Mr Purcell, do not have a stake in the Singapore Flyer--has viewed four sites in Marina Bay put up by the authorities. In fact, funding sources have already been identified.

The consortium has also made presentations to agencies such as the STB, Urban Redevelopment Authority, Economic Development Board, the National Parks Board and the Public Utilities Board as recently as a few weeks ago.

Parties involved in the proposal include Japanese firms associated with the aquariums in Osaka, Kamogawa and Okinawa.

Universities in Australia and Japan were also consulted on animal care and ethics issues, on top of a Memorandum of Understanding already inked with the National University of Singapore to develop a marine biology campus.

"It is a destination product. We have demonstrated to the Singapore Government that something of this magnitude and uniqueness has never been done before. It's a one-off type of exercise," he said.

Yet, any decision-making has been put on hold for several months now. Mr Purcell suspects that it has to do with the awarding of the Sentosa integrated resort (IR) site.

"(I think the Government) didn't want to see a situation where what we are planning for would potentially clash with the IR at Sentosa," he said.

"So, whatever happens on Sentosa is going to have a bearing on our plans," Mr Purcell added.

The two IR frontrunners--Kerzner CapitaLand and Genting--each boast to have the world's largest oceanarium, with 24 million and 20 million gallons of water, respectively. US-based Eighth Wonder has a marine research centre and an aquarium.

As the clock ticks on for the IR bidders, so too, seems the patience of the Singapore Oceanarium consortium.

Mr Purcell has received offers by some governments in Asia to relocate the water-based attraction. For now, he has decided to hold out until the Sentosa IR winner is announced, likely this week.

Mr Purcell said: "We're ready, willing and able to go into this project. We've had tremendous support from certain parts of the Singapore Government, which has kept our interest in maintaining dialogue with them."

But what if its advances are eventually turned down? "Then we'd take it to another country," he said.

The Straits Times 9 Dec 06
Planned Marina South Oceanarium one too many?
by Krist Boo

How many oceanriums can Singapore sustain?

At least two it was suggested yesterday, placing in doubt the construction of a third that is still on the drawing board. The comforting news for Sentosa's Underwater World was that it stands a decent chance of survival against the world's biggest oceanarium to be built as part of the new integrated resort.

But the future of the $300million oceanarium in the works for Marina South is now uncertain.

Underwater World -- now the only marine tourist attraction in Singapore -- will take a direct hit from the new Resorts World oceanarium when it opens in 2010, together with a Universal Studios theme park and other attractions.

Asked if there would be room for Underwater World, Sentosa Leisure Group chief executive Darrell Metzger said: "History has shown that whenever a Universal Studios or Disney project is, there are dozens and dozens of other attractions that start popping up around them." "And they will all do well if they are well run and have high quality".

However, plans may have to be reconsidered for the Marina South oceanarium, planned by the same management behind the Singapore Flyer, the giant observation wheel at Marina Bay. The Orient and Pacific Group was hoping to open its oceanarium in two years and has surveyed four sites.

Yesterday, the Singapore Tourism Board's chief executive Lim Neo Chian said the board had told the consortium of local and foreign investors to wait for the awarding of the Sentosa resort.

Mr Lim said: "It's now up to the company to reassess. STB will continue dialogue with them to see if they still want to proceed and what are the merits of the project".
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