The Sail Melaka, featuring the tallest nine-tower linked structures in the world and which resembles a regal ship is attracting foreign property buyers and investors.
The project, with a gross development value of RM6.5 billion is situated on a 27.5-acre plot in Kota Laksamana at the heart of the 33km Melaka Waterfront Economic Zone.
According to Sheng Tai International Sdn Bhd (STI) founder Datuk Leong Sir Ley, the project is scheduled for full completion by 2033.
The Sail Melaka comes with nine iconic towers connected by the Unity Sky Ring bridge across the top of each building.
A 460m-long swimming pool connects all nine towers, as does an illuminating sky garden, moon theatre with 360° elliptical-shaped experiential centre, international sky-themed food and beverage outlets, one million square feet of shopping space, a convention and exhibition centre, 100,000 square feet of snow park and ski centre, cultural retail square, luxury five- and six-star hotels and residences, business suites, and retail units.
Among the nine towers are the Fashion Tower, which will house the Straits Designers' Gallery; the Wellness Tower, which has attracted a group of over 60 Japanese doctors to help STI set up a stem cell lab; the Cultural Tower, which will see the establishment of cultural centres by countries with historic ties to Melaka dating back to the 15th century, such as China and India; the AI Tower, which will focus on attracting AI companies from Singapore and other countries; and the M Tower, which has been fully taken up by Hong Kong celebrity and former beauty queen Michelle Reis.
According to Leong, the Wellness, Cultural, and AI buildings, as well as the 100,000 sq ft snow park and ski centre, are in the planning and design stages.
As for Tower M, she said that show units have been constructed to demonstrate the interior design and furnishing idea to overseas purchasers who have placed their trust in STI by purchasing their flats without first inspecting them.
The Sail Experiential Centre (SEC), the first phase of the iconic development, was completed and unveiled last month.
International investors from around 15 countries attended the event, including Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, China, Dubai, Indonesia, Taiwan, Singapore, the Middle East, Russia, the United States, and the United Kingdom.
The SEC is a three-storey building that consists of a sales gallery, a ballroom, a restaurant, and 26 retail units.
Leong said the retail units have been fully tenanted by Japanese business owners and are scheduled to open for business in the current quarter.
"Realising that a new language had emerged after the three-year worldwide pandemic, inspired me to gather international business owners from around the world, who through these initiatives, would come to The Sail and help us start new businesses, create job opportunities, facilitate the import of talent into the city and showcase Melaka on the international stage.
"We are laying the foundation for initiatives such as hub setups, a surge in tourism with fabulous hotels, food and beverage outlets, a showcase of small businesses, improved logistics in the area as well as encouraging business migration from overseas into the country. This will help boost the economy and bring foreign direct investments and business to Melaka and the country on the whole," Leong said.