MEGA DREAMS FOR SOUTH ASIA

With a $1.2 billion price tag, 800 rooms, 17 restaurants, a luxury retail boulevard, and a world-class casino, Colombo's newly opened City of Dreams marks the region's debut on the global stage of mega integrated resorts.

- SUMAN TARAFDAR

Mega integrated resorts are a popular feature that stand at the intersection of global travel and entertainment-think Marina Bay Sands in Singapore, Genting Highlands in Malaysia, Macau's Cotai Strip, or Sun City in South Africa. South Asia recently joined this rarefied group with the opening of its first such resort in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

Twelve years in the making, the 800-room City of Dreams, which fronts the Galle Seaface, is a unique convergence of hospitality, entertainment, business, shopping, dining, and culture. With a price tag of over US$1.2 billion, it is the single biggest investment in the country. The project, spread over 4.5 million sq.ft., includes two hotels, Cinnamon Life (687 rooms) and Nüwa (113 rooms), a state-of-the-art casino and entertainment zone, 17 restaurants and bars curated by globally acclaimed chefs, a luxury retail promenade featuring designer brands alongside artisanal Sri Lankan boutiques, expansive event and MICE facilities, residences and offices.

Envisaged at a time when the nation's economy is booming, City of Dreams is the product of John Keells Holdings and Melco Resorts & Entertainment (Melco), and is set to establish Colombo as a destination for conferences, exhibitions, and cultural festivals. While 155-year-old John Keells Holdings is the largest conglomerate company listed on the Colombo Stock Exchange, operating with over 80+ companies, Melco is a developer, owner, and operator of integrated resort facilities in Asia and Europe.