Project of the Week: City of Dreams Mediterranean Resort

Imagery courtesy of Melco Resorts & Entertainment.

Our dream entry for the latest Project of the Week is for Cyprus’ first integrated casino resort, which is expected to be the largest and premier integrated destination resort in Europe.

Developed jointly by Cyprus’s CNS Group and Hong Kong-headquartered Melco Resorts & Entertainment, City of Dreams Mediterranean is taking shape as a 16-storey luxury hotel.

Mediterranean influences

Set across a 36.7 hectare-site in Zakaki, western Limassol, the five star site will feature 500 rooms, including multi-bay suites with garden balconies.

Atkins Greece provided both architectural and interior design services, with interiors based on Melco’s international luxury standards, specifically customised for the Cyprus integrated resort, while the exterior design features distinct Mediterranean influences.

Eating and meeting

Food and beverage offerings will comprise nine world-class restaurants and bars, while a 1,700 sq m luxury retail area will be inspired by the streetscape of the old Nicosia, the island nation’s capital city.

Approximately 10,000 sq m of MICE space comprises ballroom, convention, meeting and pre-function areas plus an onsite expo centre including a 1,500 sq m multi-purpose function space.

Recreation roll call

Onsite amenities for the landmark development incorporate a 200-seat amphitheatre and terraced lawn for live outdoor entertainment; a family adventure park; Cyprus’s largest pool complex, set in landscape gardens with four large outdoor pools, surf pools and jacuzzis; as well as an expansive children’s playground, and a spa and health club with an indoor pool.

Plus the resort’s 7,500 sq m casino gaming area will boast over 100 tables and 1,000 state-of-the-art slot machines.

Tennis treats

Sports and leisure facilities will include a seven-a-side football pitch, tennis court, squash court and jogging trails.

Furthermore the developers signed an agreement with Cypriot tennis star Marcus Baghdatis to bring the Marcos Baghdatis Tennis Academy to the resort. Featuring 12 state-of-the-art tennis courts, including a professional-sized centre court, the academy will be able to host international tournaments and sporting events. A shop offering professional tennis equipment will be available, as well as a café and changing facilities.

Schedule setbacks

First scheduled for completion in 2021, the resort’s build began in May 2019, with a joint venture of Greek companies Avax and Terna, spearheading the construction. However, the pandemic delayed proceedings and opening was first put back to summer 2022 but now will be Q2 2023.

In March 2021, Grant Johnson, property general manager of City of Dreams Mediterranean and Cyprus Casinos, reported: “Construction work is progressing smoothly and even though the covid-19 outbreak has impacted our original timeline, we remain committed to this groundbreaking project while staying focused on the delivery of the Melco standard of excellence.

“We aim to establish a unique destination, offering a premium entertainment experience to our guests while creating real value for the country’s economy and society. City of Dreams Mediterranean is set to enrich Cyprus’ tourism landscape, attracting an additional 300,000 visitors per year to the island. We are, therefore, confident that the project will contribute significantly towards combating seasonality as well as creating thousands of job opportunities.”

Green integration

City of Dreams Mediterranean was the first resort in Cyprus to be awarded with a BREEAM Excellent rating for its sustainability strategy. Achieving a score of 80.4% at the design-stage, the accolade recognises the complex’s incorporation of the highest design sustainability standards and integration into the natural environmental surroundings.

The standards encompass materials used, a high-tech water reuse system and energy-saving optimisation of the building’s orientation and shading. The project design is inspired by the native Cypriot landscape, while native plant species mirror the character of the environment and support the landscape’s ecology. To incorporate the resort into its surrounding landscape, it will encompass over 130,000 newly planted trees and indigenous plants.

Many TOPHOTELNEWS articles draw on exclusive information from the TOPHOTELPROJECTS construction database. This subscription-based product includes details of thousands of hotel projects around the world, along with the key decision-makers behind them. Please note, our data may differ from records held by other organisations. Generally, the database focuses on four- and five-star schemes of significant scale; tracks projects in either the vision, pre-planning, planning, under-construction, pre-opening or newly opened phase; and covers newbuilds, extensions, refurbishments and conversions.

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