Westside Resort secures funding as completion target reset to 2027

Travellers International Hotel Group Inc. (TIHGI) is injecting up to $450 million into the Westside Integrated Resort in Parañaque’s Entertainment City, pushing ahead with the $1.25-billion project after assuming control from its partner Suntrust Resorts Holdings Inc.

In an interview, Travellers president and CEO Nilo Thaddeus Rodriguez said the project is already about 70 percent complete, with a soft opening targeted for the third quarter of 2026 and full completion expected by 2027. The group intends to roll out facilities in phases.

The development was originally led by Suntrust, a Philippine unit of Hong Kong’s LET Group. However, financial constraints forced its parent to scale down involvement. Suntrust now retains only a 20 percent stake, having recently injected %u20B13.2 billion into Entertainment City Resorts Corporation, the project’s vehicle. The rest of the capital commitment will be shouldered by Travellers, backed by tycoon Andrew Tan’s holdings.

Rodriguez said taking the helm will accelerate completion, noting that the company remains confident in the long-term growth of the physical gaming and leisure sector despite near-term challenges. “By extending our integrated resorts footprint, we are not only scaling up but also creating new experiences for customers and growing the market itself,” he said.

The resort is envisioned as an upscale counterpart to Newport World Resorts in Pasay, with design and offerings comparable to integrated resorts in Singapore and Macau. Plans include over 2,500 hotel rooms under three international brands, more than 2,000 gaming tables and machines, a wide selection of restaurants and retail concepts, and a dedicated theater district anchored by the Apollo Theater and Grand Opera House.

Rodriguez highlighted that recovery in tourism will play a key role in supporting the project’s prospects, citing efforts by the government to adjust visa policies to boost arrivals from China — a market that remains subdued. He noted parallels with Macau, where easing restrictions has spurred gaming revenues.

The investment underscores continued optimism in the Philippine gaming and leisure industry, which remains a pillar of tourism growth and one of the main draws for foreign visitors. Entertainment City, established by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation, is home to a growing cluster of luxury casino resorts aimed at boosting the country’s global competitiveness in integrated entertainment offerings.