Total Development Cost and Awarding Process of Connect@Changi and Updates on Its Room Utilisation and Revenues Derived
Ministry of Trade and IndustrySpeakers
Summary
This question concerns the development costs, awarding process, room utilization, and revenue figures for the Connect@Changi facility as raised by Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis. Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong explained that the facility was established under the Connect@Singapore initiative to facilitate safe business travel through an open call for applications. Selection was based on the effectiveness of safe management measures and the segregation of travelers from the local community. Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong clarified that as the project is commercially operated without government funding, the government does not possess specific financial or utilization data. Consequently, information on costs and revenues rests with the private operator and cannot be provided by the government.
Transcript
6 Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis asked the Minister for Trade and Industry (a) what is the total development cost of Connect@Changi; (b) what is the process by which the contract was awarded to the consortium; (c) what has been the room utilisation and revenues derived from the facility since its opening; and (d) what is the expected payback period for the project.
Mr Gan Kim Yong: The Connect@Singapore initiative is part of Singapore’s initiatives to allow a limited number of business and official travellers to enter Singapore for short-term stays of up to 14 days and to conduct business activities safely. For the entire duration of their stay, travellers will be housed in Appointed Facilities (AF), undergo regular testing and strictly observe all prevailing Safe Management Measures (SMMs).
An open call for applications to set up the AF was conducted. The Government assessed all proposals based on the effectiveness of their measures to ensure tight adherence to SMMs and segregation of travellers from the local community. Connect@Changi, which was developed by a Singapore consortium comprising The Ascott Limited, Changi Airport Group, Sheares Healthcare Group Private Limited, Constellar Venues Private Limited1, Surbana Jurong Private Limited and Temasek Holdings Private Limited, was selected as the first AF under the Connect@Singapore initiative.
As the Connect@Changi AF is a commercially operated facility, it does not receive Government funding and the information on costs, revenue, utilisation and so on as requested by the Member rests with the commercial operator and the Government is unable to provide it.