By Genevieve Jiang

CONSTRUCTION of the Marina Bay Sands Integrated Resorts' hotel towers has reached its halfway mark - and it is set to open by the end of this year.

The IR's management told more than 40 foreign and local journalists during a tour of its work site yesterday morning that construction of two out of the three 55-storey hotel towers have reached the 28th floor.

The construction of the remaining tower has reached the 26th floor and the towers are expected to be completed by July.

According to the IR's management, which says its facilities will also create 30,000 jobs by 2010, training of its staff is will start by August.

The IR has attracted much media attention, including that of the regional media.

Out of 43 journalists who turned up yesterday, 24 were from various wire agencies and foreign broadcast stations. They included Japanese, Vietnamese and Malaysians.

Said Mr Jonathan Yap, assistant editor of TTG Asia Media, a trade publication on tourism in the Asia Pacific: 'Our readers include hoteliers, business travellers, and those in the travel industry.

'The Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (Mice) component of the Marina Bay Sands project is an important revenue generator for the IR, and obviously, the business traveller will be interested in it.'

When completed, the IR will offer six million sq ft of retail and entertainment space, 2,600 hotel rooms and a multitude of lifestyle and leisure activities.

There will be a one-of-a-kind Sky Park - a 340m stretch of landscaped gardens - that will bridge the three hotel towers from above.

The Sky Park will boast three linked 50m swimming pools that will provide a long infinity pool overlooking the city.

So far, the steelwork of the Mice facilities has reached the top floor - level 5.

The casino's concrete structure has also reached its top floor - level 4 - and the construction of the steel roof has started.

Singapore is counting on the IRs to help attract 17million visitors and tripling annual tourism revenue to $30 billion by 2015.

Said Mr Nigel Roberts, president of Marina Bay Sands: 'The IR is a unique and 'must-do' place to visit. It is a spectacular feature in a great location, set in a fantastic city.

'We are confident we are able attract great numbers of visitors despite the recession.'

This article was first published in The New Paper.