Universal Entertainment Corp., the builder of Okada Manila integrated resort and casino in Parañaque City, postponed the grand opening of the $2-billion project by a month to March 2017.
Universal Entertainment said in a statement on its website that while the construction was sped up to complete various facilities within the complex including the VIP casino floors, restaurants, world-class fountains and other facilities, the grand opening of Okada Manila would occur by end-March 2017, instead of end-February 2017.
“We hereby announce that we have now reached the stage wherein we are targeting to hold the grand opening at the end of March 2017,” Universal Entertainment said.
Okada Manila, named after Japanese billionaire and project owner Kazuo Okada, opened its doors to the public on Dec. 21 to give the public a “preview” of the country’s largest world-class integrated resort.
The integrated resort launched its casino operations on Dec. 30, after it secured the approval from state-owned Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.
The project was originally scheduled to open in 2015, but was delayed to November 2016 and then to December 2016 due to “worse-than-expected weather conditions.”
After conducting a “soft opening in December,” Okada Manila said the grand opening would take place by end of February.
Once fully operational, the 44-hectare Okada Manila is set to become the largest integrated entertainment resort in the country that will occupy a total floor area of 34,321 square meters, housing over 500 table games and over 3,000 electronic gaming machines. It houses a Y-shaped hotel of two wings offering a total of 993 rooms.