Cambodia: 75-Hectare-Large "ALOW” Theme Park Resort to be Built Near Angkor Wat

At the end of last year, Cambodian casino operator and investor NagaCorp. Ltd. announced plans to build a new leisure complex on a 75-hectare large site near the outermost restricted zone of the historic Angkor Wat temple in the province of Siem Reap. According to the announcement, NagaGroup Global Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of the operator which is listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, has been granted a 50-year lease by the Cambodian government for a piece of land near the famous temple site.

The leisure complex with the working title “Angkor Lake of Wonder” (ALOW) envisages the development of two five-star hotels with meeting and conference facilities, a water park, an indoor high-tech park, a canal system with boat cruises, cultural and culinary attractions, etc. Two renowned architectural US firms, Steelman Partners and Gensler, have been brought on board as planners of the integrated resort. The first phase of the construction project encompasses an investment volume of 350 million US dollars and is planned to be completed by 2025.

According to media reports, UNESCO has now expressed its concerns about the construction project. Since 1992, the city of Angkor with its temple complex Angkor Wat has been an UNESCO World Heritage Site. (eap)