The Philippine gaming market has been attracting much attention over the past year. With the opening of the Solaire in Manila’s “Entertainment City,” a four-resort complex on the shores of Manila Bay owned by PAGCOR, the Philippine casino operator/regulator, anticipation is building for the remaining three properties.
   
At the end of 2014, City of Dreams Manila is slated to open, operated by Melco Crown, which also owns the Macau casino resort of the same name. Like its Macau cousin, CoD Manila will host multiple hotels and other non-gaming amenities.
   
Included in Manila, as in Macau, will be a Crown Tower and a Hyatt. But CoD Manila also will feature the first Nobu Hotel in Asia. The partnership between Melco Crown and Nobu Hospitality includes the internationally renowned chef, Nobu Matsuhisa, actor Robert DeNiro and Hollywood producer Meir Teper. The hotel will include a Nobu restaurant and offer a fusion of laid-back luxury, high-energy nightlife and exclusive guest room retreats and spa services.
   
Melco Crown has also struck a deal with the “King of Clubs,” Michael Van Cleef Ault, who will bring his nightclub brands Pangaea and Chaos to the CoD Manila. Both brands are known for hosting “A-List” celebrities and will transform Manila into a true nightclub haven in Asia.
   
Another first for CoD Manila will be the only DreamWorks “edutainment center,” a collaboration with DreamWorks Animation. An integrated space of live and digital play spaces, the center will stress learning through play.
   
“DreamPlay by DreamWorks” is a revolutionary approach to family entertainment. Each experience is designed exclusively for City of Dreams Manila by the artistic and creative forces of DreamWorks Animation and iP2 Entertainment to combine the best elements of the DreamWorks library with the hands-on activities of an education-inspired play center to create a truly one-of-a-kind family adventure. Children will interact with characters from DreamWorks Animation’s franchises including Kung Fu Panda, Shrek, Madagascar and How to Train Your Dragon.
   
The debut of City of Dreams Manila demonstrates how the Philippine market is growing. In addition to two more resorts scheduled to open at Entertainment City (Kazuo Okada’s Tiger Entertainment and a second Philippine resort owned by Genting/Travellers), Caesars Entertainment has proposed a $1 billion resort adjacent to Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

Owner: Belle Corp. Leisure and Resorts World Corp., and Melco Crown
Architect of Record: ASYA Design Partners
Contractor: Leighton Contractors (Philippines) Inc..
Investment: $1.3 billion