Okada Manila

Okada Manila (Japanese: オカダマニラ, romanized: Okada Manira) is a casino resort and hotel complex located on the Entertainment City gaming strip in Parañaque, Metro Manila, Philippines. In 2007, with a total construction cost about ¥250 billion and spending 7 years, Japanese billionaire Kazuo Okada established and managed Okada Manila.

Okada Manila
Location Entertainment City, Parañaque, Philippines
Opening dateDecember 30, 2016 (December 30, 2016)
No. of rooms993
Total gaming space26,410.77 m2 (284,283.2 sq ft)
Signature attractions
  • Cove Manila
  • The Fountain
Notable restaurants
  • Medley Buffet
  • Red Spice
  • Lobby Lounge
  • Sportsbook Bar
  • Catch By The Bay
  • Japanese Kappou Imamura
  • Enbu
  • Goryeo Korean Barbecue
  • Ginza Nagaoka
  • Kiapo
  • La Piazza
  • Yu Lei
  • Okada Lounge
OwnerTiger Resort Leisure and Entertainment, Inc.
Operating license holderPAGCOR
ArchitectGF & Partners[1]
PRSP Architects[2]
Previous namesManila Bay Resorts (until June 2016)
Websiteokadamanila.com

History
The complex under construction in 2015

Tiger Resort Leisure and Entertainment was granted a license to operate a casino within the Entertainment City in 2008. In June 2016, the casino complex then named as Manila Bay Resorts was re-branded as Okada Manila.[3]

The facility is intended to be used by Okada to compete with casinos in Macau and to position Metro Manila as a regional and international destination.[4] The casino was set to open in November 2016 but the opening was later delayed due to worse-than-expected weather conditions.[5]

The casino complex was opened for "preview" on December 21, 2016[5] and later commenced operations as a casino on December 30, 2016.[6]

The Fountain, was officially opened on March 31, 2017, to invited guests. On the next day, the casino opened the attraction to the general public.[7]

Kazuo Okada was removed as board chairman of Tiger Resort in 2017 after the Universal Entertainment Corporation its parent firm alleged he has misappropriate funds.[8][9] Okada continue's to claim that he is the rightful head of Tiger Resort and filed legal charges against the board while the casino continued to operate.[10][11]

The operations of the casino was significantly affected by the enhanced community quarantine in Luzon imposed due to the COVID-19 pandemic with 1,000 of its 10,000 staff members retrenched due in June 2020.[12]

The Supreme Court of the Philippines issued a status quo ante order on April 27, 2022, compelling the Tiger Resort to revert to a state prior to Kazuo Okada's removal from its board in 2017. On May 31, 2022, Okada's group took over Okada Manila's operations.[10][11]

Features

Okada Manila occupies an area of 44 hectares (110 acres) of the Entertainment City[3] 26,410.77 square metres (284,283.2 sq ft) allotted to gaming. The hotel building of Okada Manila is composed of Pearl Wing and Coral Wing with each wing having 15 floors to be connected by two sky bridges.[13][14] The glass facade of the building has a gold color representing the hue of Manila Bay's sunset, and is one of the casino's key themes.[15] The US$2.4 billion phase one of the casino project includes 993 hotel rooms. More than 3,000 electronic gaming machines and 500 table games were planned to be installed in the casino complex.[3]

Included in Okada Manila's amenities are The Retreat Spa and PLAY, an indoor facility for kids.[16] There is also an allotted 8,409 square metres (90,510 sq ft) shopping area within the casino resort.[13]

The Fountain

A large central fountain, dubbed as "The Fountain" is the centerpiece of the casino resort complex spanning 37,464 square meters (403,260 sq ft) and costs US$30 million.[13] The Fountain is dubbed as the largest multicolor dancing fountain in the world.[17]

The US$30 million fountain was designed by Los Angeles-based firm, WET. The design was inspired from the "festive traditions of the Philippines", and the sampaguita (Jasminum sambac). The dancing fountain has 739 water nozzles which includes underwater robots which are proprietary of WET, 2,611 colored LED lights and 23 speakers.[17]

The Fountain at Okada Manila is the largest dancing fountain in the Philippines. Measuring 37,464 square metres (403,260 sq ft), the Okada Manila fountain is slightly smaller than The Dubai Fountain at the Burj Khalifa Lake in the United Arab Emirates.[18]

The Garden

The Garden is an open space overlooking Manila bay. It occupies more than 30,000 square metres (320,000 sq ft) and features five reflective ponds covering over 3,000 square metres (32,000 sq ft).[19]

Cove Manila

Cove Manila is an indoor beach club during the day and a night club at night.[20]

Cove Manila opened to the public on December 15, 2017, with DJ Steve Aoki headlining the event.[20] The venue already hosted an event prior to its opening which was the after-party event for Miss Universe 2016 which was held in January 2017.[21] Notable events include Miss Earth 2019, Miss Earth 2022, and actress Jillian Ward's debut on February 25, 2023.[22]

See also

References
  1. "Projects - Hospitality". GF & Partners. Archived from the original on April 1, 2019. Retrieved August 4, 2016.
  2. "Projects - Mixed Used Buildings". PRSP Architects. Retrieved August 4, 2016.
  3. Mercurio, Richmond (July 20, 2016). "Okada rebrands Manila Bay Resorts". The Philippine Star. Retrieved August 4, 2016.
  4. Sayson, Ian (July 19, 2016). "Tycoon Okada's Universal Wages Biggest Bet in Manila Casino". Bloomberg. Archived from the original on July 21, 2016. Retrieved August 4, 2016.
  5. Gonzales, Iris (December 21, 2016). "Okada Manila holds 'preview' today". Philstar. Archived from the original on December 23, 2016. Retrieved December 21, 2016.
  6. "Okada Manila's doors are now open for casino players starting December 30". InterAksyon. December 30, 2016. Archived from the original on January 5, 2017. Retrieved January 4, 2017.
  7. Santiano, Jeanyn (April 3, 2017). "Want to see Okada Manila's The Fountain? Here's what you should know". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved April 12, 2017.
  8. "Tiger Resort sacks Kazuo Okada as board chairman". ABS-CBN News. June 23, 2017. Retrieved June 2, 2022.
  9. "Philippines seeks fraud charges against Japan casino mogul Okada". Interaksyon. December 18, 2018. Retrieved June 2, 2022.
  10. "PAGCOR to probe physical takeover of Okada Manila". GMA News. June 1, 2022. Retrieved June 2, 2022.
  11. "'Violent takeover' of Okada Manila ensues amid board dispute". ABS-CBN News. June 1, 2022. Retrieved June 2, 2022.
  12. Venzon, Cliff (May 27, 2020). "Philippine casino operator Okada Manila lays off over 1,000 staff". Nikkei Asia Review. Retrieved June 6, 2020.
  13. Oiga, Jacky Lynne (July 24, 2016). "Introducing Okada Manila". Manila Bulletin. Archived from the original on July 27, 2016. Retrieved August 4, 2016.
  14. "Okada Manila aims to turn PH as world's gaming and entertainment destination". Adobo Magazine. July 20, 2016. Retrieved August 4, 2016.
  15. Vila, Alixandra Caole (July 20, 2016). "Billion-dollar 'Las Vegas' hotel casino to rise in Manila". The Philippine Star. Archived from the original on October 27, 2016. Retrieved August 4, 2016.
  16. "Okada Manila | A Dazzling Destination Like No Other". Orange Magazine. November 28, 2018. Retrieved January 8, 2019.
  17. Nisay, JT (April 5, 2017). "Okada Manila's now-open fountain is not only big in numbers". BusinessMirror. Retrieved April 12, 2017.
  18. Somosot, Janice (July 20, 2016). "Okada Manila: 3 Essential Facts About The Newest Gaming Resort In PH". International Business Times. IBT Media Inc. Retrieved January 5, 2018.
  19. "Celebrate a Festival of Yuletide Cheer at Okada Manila". Brand Magazine Philippines. November 26, 2018. Archived from the original on February 9, 2019. Retrieved January 8, 2019.
  20. Patag, Kristine Joy (December 18, 2017). "Indoor pool club opens in Manila's 'Entertainment City'". Philippine Star. Retrieved December 31, 2017.
  21. "World's most expensive champagne is now available in Metro Manila". GMA News. December 21, 2017. Retrieved December 31, 2017.
  22. "Jillian Ward looks radiant in her galaxy-themed debut ball gown". GMA Entertainment. Retrieved February 25, 2023.

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