12/02/2006

harry's other island

Harry's other island Eighth Wonder's US$3.5 billion bid includes a laundry list of attractions from a Deepak Chopra well-being and retreat center to a soccer academy under Pele to another contender for the world's largest man-made coral reef under Philippe "grandson of Jacques" Cousteau with 10 hotels with 2,100 rooms. The centerpiece is a man-made extinct volcano surrounded by a saltwater lake with 35 rides and attractions called Harry's Island, after Harry O'Brien, the fictional founder of the resort, born in 1900 at Raffles Hotel. Harry also happens to be the western name Lee Kuan Yew adopted as a student in London. Eighth Wonder chairman Mark Advent may or may not know that but it hasn't escaped the notice of one local blogger. Dr Huang Shoou Chyuan says the "cheap marketing ploy ... reveals the people of Eighth Wonder for what they are - low-class desperados!" The above is copied from the Asia Times by Gary Lamoshi. If Eight Wonder were to win the bid, Sentosa is likely to be renamed Harry's Other Island. Oh, it used to have a volcano there too. But now inactive.

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