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  Channel NewsAsia 15 Jan 06
East Coast Resort gets new owner, $5m makeover and new name
By Noor Mohd Aziz

Today Online 16 Jan 07
$5m to turn East Coast Park chalets into English cottages
Tor Ching Li

Straits Times 16 Jan 07
East Coast chalet makeover to woo tourists
$5m facelift to add Wi-Fi, business centre and possibly jacuzzis in rooms
By Krist Boo

MENTION the East Coast chalets, and students and families on a budget will have fond memories of barbecues in the sun, and crammed but cheap holiday digs.

But come the next school or university mid-year vacation, room rates would have gone up. The chalets are undergoing a $5 million facelift - complete with Wi-Fi connection, a business centre and perhaps even jacuzzis in some rooms - to woo tourists and business visitors.

The no-frills budget resort, formerly known as Costa Sands Resort (East Coast), while popular with locals, saw falling occupancy numbers. With the proposed makeover of the 197 duplexes and single-unit chalets, new operator Goldkist International is vying with hotels for a piece of the business visitor action. The renovation - to be done in phases - is expected to be finished by July.

The seaside chalets will stay open under an interim operator, United Premas. Singapore-based Goldkist, which also owns Sim Lim Square, beat three other bidders to bag the new management contract through a government tender. The last lease expired in 2005.

Despite being popular with students and families here, the resort filled up fewer than one-third of its rooms last year, while occupancy rates for hotels were around 85 per cent.

Goldkist's managing director H.D. Gupta agreed that, with the renovations, the resort will woo tourists and business visitors too. Rates will rise, he said, but they will not exceed the average hotel room charges, which was on average $164 a night for the first 11 months last year.

Mr Gupta added: 'There are many things that need to be improved.' With the new rates come better facilities, he promised. 'Nothing shall be overpriced,' he said.

Chalet guests now pay between $100 and $115 a night on weekdays and $135 and $175 on weekends.

But as far as students like undergraduate Tricia Ang, 20, are concerned, the chalet's new focus may mean an end to the barbecues outside the chalets and overnight parties. She said: 'There are not many places where you can cram a lot of people into a room and pay very little. And here, we can barbecue and in-line skate.'

To that, Mr Gupta said: 'We understand this kind of practice has been happening. We don't mind it, but it will have to be in only one section.' More than 100 chalets at one wing of the resort will accommodate such groups.

Goldkist's three-year lease is renewable until 2015. It hopes to recoup its $5 million three years into its operations.

The Singapore Land Authority, which managed the tender, said it was 'impressed' with Goldkist's upgrading plans for the place. The company also submitted the highest offer to pay $324,400 rental a month. The lowest bid was $103,300.

Today Online 16 Jan 07
$5m to turn East Coast Park chalets into English cottages
Tor Ching Li chingli@mediacorp.com.sg

THE 30-year-old red brick chalets at East Coast Park will be given a new lease of life with a $5-million revamp, one year after NTUC Club withdrew from the site.

Its new tenant, Island Park Resort, hopes to transform the chalets into a cluster of beachfront English cottages, sectioned into a tranquil zone and a party zone, complete with a world-class conference and convention centre with WiFi access.

The current 197 chalets will be renovated and refurbished, with landscaping improved and the fencing surrounding the chalets lowered to give a better sea view. Some units will be expanded to form suites with attached jacuzzis. A central clubhouse, with spa facilities to appeal to the high-end market, will also be built.

The resort--formerly known as Costa Sands Resort (East Coast) under NTUC Club--will be called Island Park Resort.

Phase One of the revamp--starting with the tranquil zone--is expected to be complete by early July, with renovations commencing in March.

Said Mr H D Gupta, managing director of Island Park Resort's parent company, Goldkist International: "We hope to develop this site into the preferred destination for both domestic families on holidays and international business tourists for conducting conferences and conventions."

The chalets will be probably priced higher than the current hotel room rate of between $100 and $135 a night.

IT products distributor Goldkist International won the bid for the three-year tenancy, renewable up to 2015. It offered the highest monthly rental bid ? $324,444 a month--in the Singapore Land Authority tender.

The four-hectare site also has approval for sports and recreation facilities, a corporate retreat site and an adventure camp. Members of the public can still rent the chalets from current managing agent United Premas until Feb 25.

Channel NewsAsia 15 Jan 06
East Coast Resort gets new owner, $5m makeover and new name
By Noor Mohd Aziz

SINGAPORE : East Coast Resort is set to get a $5 million makeover with new and upgraded facilities, as well as a new name - Island Park Resort.

The new owners, Goldkist International, has signed a tenancy agreement with the Singapore Land Authority (SLA) for an initial term of three years and is renewable up to 2015.

The Singapore-based company has promised an eco-friendly approach to the upgrading, which will be done in phases. A new clubhouse, spa facilities, gaming arcades and sports facilities will be built.

Goldkist has also promised to market the resort overseas to draw foreign visitors to the resort.

Although a new owner has been announced, SLA has promised that the resort will be available until after the Lunar New Year holidays. The appointed agent of SLA, United Premas, will continue to take bookings for the resort till 25 February 2007.

The East Coast Resort, with nearly 200 rooms, opened its doors to the public in 1977. It used to be run by the Urban Development and Management Company until NTUC Club bought it in 2002. It did not seek to renew its lease.

Goldkist, the highest bidder, will pay monthly rental of $324,444. It has real estate assets of over $10 million in Sim Lim Square. It is involved in import, export and distribution of IT and communication products, with an annual sales turnover of $40 million. - CNA /ls
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