Last week, city officials approved an additional 480 hectares of sea area for the Saigon Sunbay tourism development in Can Gio.
Though the project was initially granted 600 hectares, city officials recently agreed to up the sea area to 1,080 hectares, reports the Saigon Times. Once complete, Saigon Sunbay will be located just next door to the UNESCO-recognized Can Gio Biosphere Reserve. The city's Department of Planning and Architecture has ordered Can Gio Tourist to submit a revised design for approval by the city government next month.
Saigon Sunbay originally received government approval 15 years ago but only began construction in 2007. The project later stalled due to financial reasons, however its developers resumed construction in June with Vingroup as a strategic investor.
In addition to an international convention center and shopping mall, an aquarium, high-end hotels and resorts, a wharf for cruise boats and a helipad, investors will also be required to build the necessary transportation infrastructure to link Saigon Sunbay to the rest of the city. In July, city officials approved one such road through the biosphere reserve that would remove 18,600 trees from the area.
Developers have also designated one-third of the project's artificial bay for a white sand beach, to be trucked in from central Vietnam.
Local officials stress that Saigon Sunbay's developers must guarantee the protection of the nearby biosphere reserve, also known as the “green lung” of the city, however experts believe that the tourism project could have irreparable damage on the reserve.
[Photo via SCC]
