Marina Square through the years: A timeline

Singapore With Marina Square set to close for redevelopment, CNA looks back at the mall's beginnings and how it evolved over its four decades. Marina Square in 2006. (Photo: SingLand) New: You can now listen to articles. This audio is generated by an AI tool. SINGAPORE: From shopping trips and date nights to family outings and Formula 1 race weekends, Marina Square has been a go-to destination for generations of Singaporeans.News on Tuesday (Sep 1) that the mall will close next year came as a shock to many. Singapore Land Group (SingLand), which owns Marina Square, said that the closure is part of wider plans to redevelop the area.As consumer habits evolved over the years, so did Marina Square.CNA looks back at Marina Square's beginnings and the many transformations it has undergone over its four decades.1970s: New land, new possibilitiesLand reclamation works to create the Marina Bay area began in 1971, according to the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA).One phase of the works was completed in 1977, creating a site known as Marina Centre, according to an article published in the National Library Board publication BiblioAsia.In 1978, URA offered land in Marina Centre to developers for the first time as part of a land sale involving 21 sites. The sale was also the first in which foreign developers were invited to participate, The Business Times reported in November of that year.Six of the sites were located in Marina Centre, with three earmarked for hotels and one for a shopping or entertainment complex.1983: Settling on a nameIn 1981, the name "Marina Centre" came to apply to a project in the area, consisting of a mall and three hotels, being developed by a consortium led by SingLand. However, the developers would soon face what The Singapore Monitor called a "name problem".According to reports published in the now-defunct newspaper in November 1983, the developers had not sought approval to use the name, and the authorities took issue with it as it was meant to be the name of the whole area.As such, the developers were asked to submit a new name for the complex to an advisory committee that decided on the names of roads and buildings – the predecessor of today's Street and Building Names Board.After considering several alternative names submitted by the developers, the committee decided on Nov 25, 1983, that the project would be renamed "Marina Square". Final approval was needed from the Finance Ministry, but the name quickly stuck in the media.Other names suggested by the developers included Marina Esplanade and Hai Bin Square, according to The Singapore Monitor. Marina Square in the mid-1980s. (Photo: Instagram/National Museum of Singapore) 1986-1988: The biggest shopping mall in Southeast AsiaThe Marina Square mall opened in 1986, around the same time as the project's three hotels: the Marina Mandarin, Pan Pacific Singapore and Oriental Singapore.With about 59,000 sq m of retail space, Marina Square was said to be the largest shopping complex in Southeast Asia. The mall opened with four department stores, including outlets of homegrown retailer Metro and Japanese chain Tokyu, as well as a supermarket and about 220 shops.Tokyu opened its Marina Square outlet in 1987, with then Finance Minister Richard Hu officiating the opening.Local cinema operator Eng Wah opened two theatres there in 1988, each with a seating capacity of 335, The Business Times reported. King's Snookerium Management opened its third and largest billiard hall at the mall the same year.The shopping complex was estimated to have cost between S$500 million and S$600 million, according to The Business Times.1990s: Moves and shakesThe 1990s saw a series of changes to Marina Square's tenant mix.Tokyu closed its Marina Square outlet in 1993. Its space was taken over by The Sale Store, before Kmart Metro opened there in 1994.As Marina Square faced growing competition from neighbouring malls Suntec City and Millenia Singapore, it sought to strengthen its entertainment offerings, the Straits Times reported in 1996.A four-storey entertainment complex was therefore built next to the mall's existing amusement centre and food court that year. The Marina Leisureplex housed a six-screen Golden Village cineplex with nearly 2,000 seats. It was then the cinema operator's flagship facility in Singapore. The Marina Leisureplex also brought in new food and beverage outlets, including McDonald's, the second one at Marina Square, Long John Silver's, MOS Burger and Teck Kee Pau. Other retailers that opened during this period included American crafts store chain Ben Franklin and fashion retailer Guess.By this time, Marina Square's monthly shopper traffic had doubled from about 400,000 to 500,000 visitors when it first opened, to around 1 million visitors. A worker sticks part of a printed painting on the steps at Marina Square in Singapore on Jan 12, 1998. (File photo: AFP/Roslan Rahman) 2004-2006: A S$100 million makeoverNearly two decades after it first opened, Marina Square embarked on its first major renovation in 2004.According to TODAY, S$100 million was spent to revamp the mall.That same year, hypermarket Giant replaced Metro as one of Marina Square's anchor tenants, The New Paper reported.American fast-food chain Carl's Jr opened its first Singapore outlet at Marina Square in 2005. Other notable newcomers of this era included luxury watchmakers Longines and Edox, as well as British fashion retailer Miss Selfridge. Marina Square in 2005. (Photo: SingLand) The revamped Marina Square reopened in 2006, with the mall reorganised into different themed zones. Among them was Groove Nation, which was targeted at youths and featured trendy fashion stores and hair salons. To promote its new look, Marina Square launched a two-and-a-half-month marketing campaign spanning print advertisements, television commercials and outdoor advertising.As part of the campaign, a six-episode series of one-minute television dramas with the theme "love at Marina Square" was produced, starring Adrian Pang and Kym Ng. 2008: A front-row seat for F1When Singapore hosted its first Formula 1 race in 2008, Marina Square found itself in the middle of the action.Those without tickets gathered at the mall's outdoor areas, hoping to catch a glimpse of the cars. Its four-storey outdoor staircase became one vantage point for the event, offering spectators a view of part of the Marina Bay Street Circuit across from the Esplanade.The New Paper even published an article the day before the inaugural race highlighting six spots at the mall where fans could get views of the track.In the years that followed, Marina Square remained a familiar gathering spot during race weekends.Its location also made it a popular spot for those hoping to catch National Day celebrations around Marina Bay. Marina Square in the background next to the Mandarin Oriental Singapore hotel during a Formula 1 race at the Marina Bay Street Circuit. (Photo: iStock) 2010s: More than just shoppingIn 2010, Marina Square became directly connected to the rail network through Marina Link, an underground pedestrian link to Esplanade MRT station.The mall underwent another major makeover during the decade, with renovation works carried out in phases.The first phase, completed in 2013, saw the opening of The Dining Edition, a new wing dedicated to food and beverage outlets. The second phase was completed in 2015, adding an extended retail area and a new wing facing Marina Bay. The renovation expanded the mall's floor area to about 100,000 sq m.New attractions included Emporium Shokuhin, a Japanese food marketplace, and Pororo Park Singapore, an indoor theme park for children.Marina Square's tenant mix continued to evolve. In 2016, private education institution PSB Academy announced that it would set up a new city campus at the mall.According a Lianhe Zaobao report that year, it moved into spaces on the third and fourth floors of the mall previously occupied by entertainment facilities such as the Golden Village cineplex and a bowling alley.Two years later, indoor playground Kiztopia took over the space formerly occupied by Emporium Shokuhin. 2026: One last transformation for nowMarina Square will close its doors on Mar 31, 2027, as part of a major redevelopment.The project will add three new towers – one comprising 204 luxury homes, another with 260 serviced apartments and the third to house a 304-room hotel and about 13,000 sq m of office space.Pan Pacific Singapore, Parkroyal Collection Marina Bay and Mandarin Oriental Singapore will remain open during the redevelopment.Marina Square itself will be overhauled, and will have a greater focus on food and beverage, sports, wellness and lifestyle offerings, as well as landscaped and pet-friendly spaces. An artist’s impression of Marina Square after the redevelopment, integrated with landscaped public spaces and connected to the precinct’s existing and new components. (Image: Singapore Land) Chief executive of SingLand Jonathan Eu said that the redevelopment is an opportunity to make Marina Square a "more connected and compelling destination"."By adding residences, serviced apartments and workplaces alongside the existing hotels – and repositioning the mall around experience-led retail, sports, wellness and community – we are creating a new ecosystem where people can live, work, stay and connect," Mr Eu said.The redevelopment is expected to be completed by 2031.