Travellers International Hotel Group Inc. plans a soft opening of the third phase of expansion in Resorts World Manila to replace the damaged portion of the casino.
Travellers president Kingson Sian said the phase 3 expansion once fully built out would have 650 gaming tables and 4,000 gaming machines across 12,000 square meters of gaming space.
Sian said the phase 3 expansion would enable RWM to replace the 6,000 square meters of gaming space lost due to the robbery and arson attack on the gaming complex on June 2.
“We are rushing the phase 3 expansion of Resorts World Manila which we target to open by the first quarter of 2018. But there could be a slight chance that we will be able to soft open by late December this year,” Sian said.
“That should be enough to augment what we have lost,” he added.
Sian said the whole second floor gaming area where the June 2 incident occurred had been closed down and would be converted as part of the mall.
Meanwhile, Sian said foot traffic at Resorts World Manila had improved significantly, with average daily visitors reaching 26,000 from 28,000 prior to the June 2 incident.
Hotel occupancy of the hotels located within the area, namely Maxim’s, Marriott and Remington, is back to the 90 percent level.
Aside from additional gaming facilities, phase 3 expansion will involve the completion of new hotels, including well-known international hotel brands Hilton, Sheraton and Maxims
The new hotels will bring Resorts World Manila’s total hotel room capacity to about 2,400 keys, reinforcing its position as country’s largest integrated resort with the most diversified hotel offerings.
Travellers is also set to complete the master plan for a second casino project within Pagcor Entertainment City in Parañaque City.
Sian said the master plan, which has been redesigned, was already 90 percent complete and would signal the resumption of the project construction.
Share price of Travellers on Tuesday closed 0.3 percent to P3.63 per share.