City of Dreams Sri Lanka announces Phase II opening date
The opening includes the Nüwa hotel, casino and shopping mall.
Sri Lanka.- Phase II of City of Dreams Sri Lanka is to open on August 2, its developers have said. This phase includes gaming operations, the 113-key Nuwa Hotel and a shopping mall.
The casino at the US$1bn integrated resort in central Colombo will be operated by Melco Resorts & Entertainment, in partnership with John Keells Holdings (JKH). A 687-room luxury hotel branded Cinnamon Life was launched in October 2024.
Lawrence Ho Yau Lung, chairman and chief executive of Melco Resort, said: “We believe Sri Lanka has immense potential, and this opportunity complements our existing portfolio of properties. City of Dreams Sri Lanka is expected to serve as a catalyst for stimulating tourism demand and promoting economic growth in Sri Lanka, drawing inspiration from the successful examples set by similar integrated resorts in other jurisdictions,” he said.
Earlier this month, the Committee on Public Finance (COPF) approved the importation of casino gaming machines in Sri Lanka. The move comes after the introduction of the 2025 Gambling Regulatory Authority Bill, which aims to regulate land-based and online gambling.
Imports of casino equipment were previously banned under the Casino Business Regulation Act No. 17 of 2010. Confirming the new approval, COPF Chairman Harsha de Silva said there would be a mechanism to monitor every machine to be imported.
