The $1.33B Singapore Sports Hub is creating a buzz in the country, "even among those not too keen on sport," according to THE NEW PAPER. World Sports Group Senior VP of Stadiums & Arenas Adrian Staiti and WSG CEO Andrew Georgiou "reiterated their belief that the Sports Hub will be a game-changer." With a Singapore-Malaysia football match lined up in the middle of next year, a football club competition in August, and tennis' WTA Championships in October, as well as non-sporting events in the pipeline, Georgiou revealed that "promoters can't find time slots" at the Hub. Drawing from the festivities and other forms of entertainment surrounding marquee American events, Staiti asserted that the modern fan expects more than "just on-court action." In a deal worth more than $50M, OCBC Bank has already jumped on board as the Hub's "premier founding partner," with more corporate partnerships already in the pipeline. Georgiou said, "This is a world class venue supported by a local company in a genuine commercial deal. But the money OCBC are going to spend to bring Singaporeans to the venue is, in my opinion, more valuable. I think it is a catalyst for other things." Staiti revealed that "they are already in talks with other corporations who are keen to come on board, albeit at a lower tier partnership, with announcements expected soon" (THE NEW PAPER, 12/22).
