The upgrade works form part of the company’s broader RWS 2.0 expansion plans, having announced in 2019 that it will spend a total of SG$4.5 billion to add around 164,000 square meters of new leisure and entertainment space to its current offerings.

RWS’s local competitor, Marina Bay Sands, also announced last week that it was investing US$1 billion into a comprehensive renovation of its hotel rooms and suites over the next two years.

In a Thursday filing announcing its financial results for the six months to 31 December 2021, Genting Singapore said the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent reduction in customer traffic “presents a window of opportunity to renovate and refresh our hotel offerings.

“With a total key count of over 1,200 keys, three of our hotels, namely Hard Rock Hotel Singapore, Hotel Michael and Festive Hotel, will progressively undergo renovation works starting from the second quarter of 2022,” it said. “When completed, Festive Hotel will be completely transformed into a bleisure (business-leisure) and workation (work-vacation) hotel with a variety of mobile working spaces and lifestyle offerings.”

Genting Singapore said it has set aside SG$400 million for RWS 2.0 and related refurbishment works this year, which will also include upgrading its Resorts World Convention Centre.

The company acquired leasehold land for the expansion of RWS in 2021 with preparation works for Universal Studios Singapore’s new themed zone, Minion Land and the Singapore Oceanarium, “progressing steadily”. When complete, Singapore Oceanarium will be three times larger than the current S.E.A. Aquarium and become “Singapore’s new tourism icon and an institution to champion marine education and protection of our environment."

“In all our developments for RWS 2.0 and major refurbishment works … we are acutely aware of the need to embody into our design a more sustainable environment,” the company said. “We are engaging various stakeholders and consultants to incorporate the latest technology and research to achieve this goal.”