Okada Manila, the $2.4-billion Y-shaped hotel and casino located right at the center of the entertainment city in Parañaque which is being considered as venue for the Miss Universe pageant in 2017, will rival the best hotels in Las Vegas and Dubai.
The three-level complex, with a fountain that is equivalent to 50 Olympic-sized swimming pools that is touted to be one of the largest in the world, is now 85 percent complete.
It will have its soft opening in November and will be fully operational by the end of 2016, Okada Manila chief operating officer Takahiro Usui said.
With more than 18,000 construction workers operating 24/7, the grand structure covers the casino floor, two hotel wings, nightclub and beach club areas, restaurants and retail areas.
“From its architecture to its interior design, every single detail was carefully planned and executed in order to bring to life Chairman Kazuo Okada’s vision. The chairman has been a long time believer in the potential of the Philippines. This project is a fulfillment of his dream and his biggest gift to the Filipinos yet,” Usui said.
The hotel will have 993 rooms and 21 self-operated restaurants, while the gaming complex will have 500 table games and around 3,000 electronic game machines.
The complex will also have a retail promenade featuring local and international brands and a glass dome-enclosed beach club with white sand that can fit 4,500 people.
Usui said that another prominent feature of the property is the sky bridge, a three-level structure that connects the two Y-shaped hotel wings.
It is strategically located in the exact center of the building, giving guests an amazing vantage point over Manila Bay and the integrated resort’s $30-million dancing water fountain.
“The sky bridge will house the Sky Casino and offer a private gaming haven exclusive to VIP guests,” he said.
“Each room is designed to offer an impressive view of either Manila Bay or the resort’s majestic dancing fountain, the biggest in the country and the second largest in the world next to the choreographed Dubai Fountain in man-made Burj Khalifa Lake,” Usui added.
The 9,000-sqm entertainment venue will be enclosed in a climate-controlled glass dome which will feature Asia’s first kinetic chandelier with six rings that can create 10,000 special effects and project stunning 3D motion graphics.
“Its white sand indoor beach club will also be the first in Southeast Asia and will rival the largest clubs in the world,” Usui said.