Sentosa integrated resort bidder Eighth Wonder wants to take you into the heart of a coral reef lagoon, watch marine scientists at work or even experience a perfect storm.
That is all part of the experience at its Ocean Planet attraction on its proposed $5.5b Harry’s Island.
Eighth Wonder and its partners say the proposed resort will not be a place of superficial entertainment, but leans heavily on a message of conservation and research, especially at its multi-million-dollar Ocean Planet.
The 60,000 square feet facility will feature a living coral reef lagoon, where visitors can either walk through or snorkel in.
“It’s a double helix design to go down into what would be the world’s first living coral reef lagoon, to work with agricultural technology in collaboration with other organisation, research and university organisation, both here and abroad to develop agricultural technology to grow that coral, fish and other animals in captivity so we don’t have to take them out of water,” said Philippe Cousteau, President, EarthEcho International.
Visitors will also be able to learn about marine life and observe scientists at work at what could be Asia’s first Marine Mammal Rescue centre.
“Right now we have a unique opportunity with new technologies that are emerging around us; where broadcast facilities, all the other kinds of capacities that will be integrated into this resort will enable us to take these messages out to the world of learners, so we can foresee the ocean planet institute becoming a hub in a learning and education network that will go around the world and make Singapore a hub of marine education, research and conservation issues,” said Robert Sullivan, Vice-President, Chora LLC.
Two research vessels, costing $50m each, will also be built to support marine exploration.
Should Eighth Wonder win the bid, it will also work with media partners like Star TV and National Geographic to produce a range of educational programmes and game shows to further engage the visitors.
The bidder hopes to raise $160m over the next three years to fund activities coming out of Ocean Planet.
Source: CNA /dt
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