SUBIC BAY FREEPORT, Philippines—A Korean-owned resort is raising a P20-billion tourism complex that would include a hotel and convention center here, the top official of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) said.
Roberto Garcia, SBMA chairman and administrator, said the first phase of the project, which will be undertaken by Resom Resort Philippines, involves the development of a prime waterfront property, which used to serve as a mini-golf area spanning 2 hectares. The area has a 6,000-square-meter buildup site.
Garcia, on June 13, signed a lease development contract with Sang So Shin, chair of Resom Resort Philippines.
The project will rise on the same property offered for the $120-million Ocean 9 Casino and Hotel Resort project in 2008, from which architect and urban planner Felino Palafox Jr. withdrew after he discovered that the project could displace 300 trees. Ocean 9 later pulled out of the project.
Won’t cut trees
Sought for comment about the fate of the trees in the project site, Garcia said: “Resom told us that they will not cut any trees. They will use only the buildup area.”
Garcia said Resom has committed to invest P1.2 billion for the construction of a 300-room luxury hotel furnished with convention facilities, a pool, spa, restaurants and other support facilities.
The second phase of the project would cover the development of the Resom City tourism complex involving several properties in the Naval Magazine area spanning 300 ha, he said.
“This will include the construction of a world-class resort complex that will have hotels, condominiums, a theme park, villas, casino and gaming operations, a water park and spa, health and wellness center, duty-free shopping and a championship golf course. This phase involves an investment commitment of around P19 billion and is expected to take around four years to complete,” Garcia said in a statement.
Shin said the Subic Resom City project would be the company’s centerpiece development.
World-class resorts
Resom owns and operates four world-class resorts: Ocean Castle, Resom Waterpark and Spa, and Forest Villa, all in South Korea, and a championship golf course and resort in Weihai, China.
Shin said Resom develops its resorts by keeping and preserving the environment as a main priority.
He said the natural beauty of the forests and waters in Subic makes the free port the ideal site for Resom’s centerpiece resort.—Robert Gonzaga