First of all, apologies for the lack of new content the past week. I had issues with my computer that needed to be resolved and thankfully all is well now.
Also, today’s entry is something long overdue as well. But until recently, the Urban Roamer has not had the time to check out this new metropolitan landmark. But it was good to see how things have progressed since it first opened as chances are at least it has taken more form now.
With that said, the Urban Roamer has finally stepped inside the youngest (so far) landmark in the growing Entertainment City complex, the Okada Manila.
Okada Manila opened to the public on December 2016 and soon enough has gained quite a following among those who frequent the Entertainment City area. Behind this development is Universal Entertainment of controversial Japanese gaming tycoon Kazuo Okada. Along with his partner, Filipino businessman Antonio Cojuangco, Okada oversaw the construction of what he envisioned to be a grandiose development that will stand out from the rest of Entertainment City. More on that later.
Originally, Okada Manila was intended to be the place of stay for the Miss Universe 2016 candidates. In fact, construction was sped up just so it could make it in time for the pageant. Not to mention Okada Manila was one of the major sponsors of the pageant. Unfortunately, it could not overcome the delays so the original plans did not push through. However, it still manage to host the candidates for some of the events, including the after-party.
Months after, the structure is still quite far from complete, with the retail component still being constructed at the time of writing. Still, one can see the envisioned grandeur of Okada Manila and so far, it actually looks quite impressive.
For one, the interiors have this grandiose colorful quality compared to what Solaire and City of Dreams Manila. Then again, it is quite hard to make a comparison as both have their own unique attributes that make them stand out. In a way, more than any other facility in the complex, Okada Manila strives more a lot to be like one of those outrageously opulent casinos that can be seen in Las Vegas.
The dominance of pink in the interiors is unique but it serves the purpose of it striving to be such. It provides a vibrant and joyful atmosphere that attracts people to the area. Of course, it takes more than just a hue of color to make an impression. So Okada Manila added some interesting attraction to draw visitors.
One of the is the huge fountain which serves as the centerpiece of the place. But it is not just some large scale fountain. It is actually a multicolored dancing fountain that puts on a show regularly, especially at night.
Then there is The Cove, Okada Manila’s indoor beach/club venue in one. Which makes sense since there is already a pool club in the metropolis, It is still not open at this time of writing, but the renders look promising.
Of course, Okada Manila also has a hotel and retail area as well. While the retail area is still unfinished, there are a number of establishments already open. When complete, the commercial area of the complex will be the area surrounding the fountain.
Overall, Okada Manila is impressive so far, but it’s hard to say it with finality as it is still a work in progress at this time. One can only hope it lives up to its potential in making a greater impression than it has right now.
For more information, visit Okada Manila’s official website.
