Gokongwei Group makes bet on Cebu casino project

MANILA, Philippines — The Gokongwei Group has ushered in a new era of leisure and entertainment in Cebu with the opening of NUSTAR Resort and Casino, a five-star integrated casino resort, the first in the Visayas and Mindanao regions.

The group, through its privately owned Universal Hotels and Resorts Inc. (UHRI), plans to make NUSTAR the prime destination casino resort in the province and in the region, UHRI president and CEO Frederick Go told The STAR in an interview.

“The objective really is for NUSTAR to be the most sought after, must see and most important place to visit in Cebu,” Go said in a recent phone interview.

NUSTAR, which marks the Gokongwei Group’s foray into the gaming and entertainment industry, is set to elevate and redefine luxury in gaming, entertainment, leisure, dining, and retail in Cebu, and the entire southern Philippines, Go said.

In its opening in May, NUSTAR unveiled the north wing of its casino, as well as its southern Chinese and southeast Asian restaurant, Xin Tian Di.

This is in addition to Il Primo, the first Italian Steakhouse in Cebu, and Fina, a Filipino casual dining restaurant, that both opened in April.

There will be at least 40 more food and beverage brands to be launched, including Mott 32, a Michelin-starred favorite from Hong Kong.

NUSTAR is targeting to have a grand opening in the first quarter of 2023, and is poised to be the biggest lifestyle and entertainment destination outside Metro Manila, UHRI said.

Standing on a 9.7-hectare complex, the resort will be home to a two-level casino with 250 gaming tables and 1,500 electronic gaming machines peppered across 21,000 square meters of floor area, making it the largest and most varied gaming floor in the region.

There will be three hotel towers with 1,000 rooms and a four-floor retail center that will house high-end brands and high-fashion boutiques and VIP cinemas.

It is located in Kawit Island along the east coast of Cebu and right in the middle of the city’s emerging business and lifestyle district, the South Road Properties.

Go said NUSTAR looks forward to welcoming guests from all over the world, especially the millions living south of Luzon and regular tourists from Korea, China and Japan, among others.

“We will also look for synergies with our affiliate airline Cebu Pacific to further drive tourism in the province,” Go also said.

He likewise noted that the Mactan Cebu International Airport, the second largest airport facility in the Philippines, offers thousands of domestic and international flights weekly, including round trips to and from exclusive destinations in China and Korea.

NUSTAR is being developed in phases. Once completed, it will also feature a convention center that can accommodate up to 2,000 guests; The Stage, a 1,700-seat ultramodern and upscale performing arts theater that will be a venue for exclusive productions, musicals, and concerts; Aqua Isla dela Victoria, a leisure theme park with water features and entertainment center products and services; Skydeck, an iconic viewing deck highlighting a 180-degree view of Mactan Island and Cebu City facing the CCLEX; and The Boardwalk, a 580-meter promenade where people can enjoy scenic strolls with some of the best views of Mactan and Cebu City.