Marina Bay Casino on track to open

"The group confirms it will open the project in Singapore as planned, and there are no financial problems during this crisis like has been reported," said group chairman Sheldon Adelson.

The complex will be a new magnet for Southeast Asia in general and Singapore in particular. Targeted visitors will be from Asean countries, especially Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand, but it will also attract tourists from Australia, India and the Middle East. Business travellers, especially from Japan, will be another focus.

Some shops and restaurants are set to open in the next few months, with full operations expected next January or February.

Las Vegas Sands is spending 5.2 billion Singaporean dollars (Bt122 billion) to build the complex, which is being constructed on reclaimed land near the city's Raffles and Marina Bay business districts.

The complex will consist of a 2,600-room hotel, a casino, the region's largest convention centre, an art and science museum, a theatre, shopping malls, restaurants and the world's highest skywalk at 200 metres.

The group yesterday finished the top of its 55-storey hotel tower, putting it another step closer to opening.

The group owns and operate three complexes in Las Vegas: The Venetian Resort Hotel Casino, The Palazzo Resort Hotel Casino and the Sands Expo and Convention Centre. It also owns the Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem in Pennsylvania.

The group last year opened The Venetian Macao Resort Hotel, which was an addition to its long-term Sands Casino there.

The Singaporean government has also granted approval for another casino operator, Genting from Malaysia, to build a casino and entertainment project on Sentosa Island, the country's most popular tourist attraction.

Construction is in progress, but it will be much smaller than the Marina Bay Sands.