The bulk of the disruptive renovation work at Singapore’s casino complex Resorts World Sentosa has now been completed, and management’s focus is on rebuilding business and performance. That is according to Lee Shi Ruh (pictured), chief executive of Resorts World at Sentosa Pte Ltd, the operating entity of Singapore’s Resorts World Sentosa casino resort.
The firm is in the midst of implementing a multi-year expansion of Resorts World Sentosa, an initiative also known as ‘RWS 2.0’. It represents a total investment of about SGD6.80 billion (US$5.28 billion at current rates).
In November 2024, the company broke ground for a new waterfront development at the complex. The firm expects the expansion to be completed in 2030.
“There won’t be another wave of major closures” related to the expansion work, Ms Lee said in an interview published on Monday by Singapore media outlet The Straits Times. “Now, it’s about putting everything together.”
She added: “But results don’t come through immediately. It takes time to rebuild.”
Ms Lee was appointed in August last year as president and chief operating officer of Genting Singapore Ltd. She had served as the group’s chief financial officer since 2010.
In June last year she had become chief executive of Resorts World at Sentosa Pte Ltd, which is a subsidiary of Genting Singapore.
Resorts World at Sentosa Pte Ltd appointed veteran casino executive Chen Si as chief operating officer in December last year.
In 2025, Resorts World Sentosa opened a number of new attractions as part of its ‘RWS 2.0’ initiative. The group launched in February a new themed zone, “Illumination’s Minion Land”, at the Universal Studios Singapore theme park, one of Resorts World Sentosa’s main non-gaming attractions.
In July, it introduced the Singapore Oceanarium, an expansion and rebranding of the former S.E.A. Aquarium at Resorts World Sentosa.
An enlarged and revamped retail area, dubbed “WEAVE”, was also launched in July.
In October, Resorts World Sentosa opened The Laurus hotel, part of The Luxury Collection Hotels & Resorts portfolio.
In comments to another media outlet, the Business Times, also published on Monday, Ms Lee confirmed that the Resorts World Sentosa renovation would only be fully completed when the new waterfront complex opens in 2030.
“That said, we don’t wait until then to show people this new phase,” she said.
Ms Lee described 2026 as a year in which Resorts World Sentosa management would “test all kinds of different concepts and programming, hold new and exciting events, and refresh” its assets.
The aim is for “people to see that Resorts World Sentosa is different now”, she said in her interview with The Strait Times.
“To bring people back, they need to feel that this is a place they can hang out with family and friends, with something new every two to three weeks,” she stated, adding that the property also aimed to become more attractive for repeat visits by local residents.
According to her comments, this would help draw gamblers back to Resorts World Sentosa.
“In the past, some guests came to gamble and then left straight away. How do you bring gamers back? We want them to feel there is more to do – eat, drink, socialise and spend time with family and friends,” she said.
Genting Singapore reported revenue of SGD649.8 million last November for the three months to 30 September, up 15.6 percent from the prior-year period. The company posted a third-quarter net profit of SGD94.6 million, up 19.2 percent from a year earlier.
