AGI invests P65B in new gaming hub

THE GROUP of tycoon Andrew Tan is investing P65 billion to develop a leisure and entertainment township at the Pagcor Entertainment City in Paranaque to be called Westside City, building on the legacy of pioneering integrated gaming resort Newport City.

Property developer Megaworld Corp. and Travellers International Hotel Group Inc., the developer and operator of Resorts World in the Philippines, jointly announced on Monday a plan to develop “Westside City,” a 31-hectare township that would house the second local Resorts World property, scheduled for completion by last quarter of 2020.

The township will also be home to Megaworld’s upscale residential condominiums, a luxury mall as well as international hotel brands such as The Westin Hotel of the Starwood Asia Pacific Hotels & Resorts Group, Hotel Okura Manila of the Okura Hotels & Resorts, the Genting Grand and Crockfords Tower of the Genting Group, and Kingsford Hotel. These hotels will have a total of around 1,500 rooms.

Part of the company’s vision for Westside City is to become the “Broadway of Asia” as the township highlights facilities for the performing arts. It will be home to the Philippines’ first Grand Opera House that has a total capacity of 3,000, based on a statement issued on Monday.

Tan has been supporting Filipino performing arts, with the Newport Performing Arts Theatre in Newport City having been developed as a platform for original Filipino stage plays.

“We are very excited to see Westside City rising to be a showcase of Manila as a truly world-class Philippine capital,” said Tan, who is chair and chief executive officer of Megaworld and Alliance Global Group Inc., the mother company of Megaworld and Travellers International.

Westside City is Megaworld’s 20th integrated urban township. It is also the company’s second leisure and entertainment township, next to Newport City.