Tropicana (Singapore)

Tropicana
Tropicana
General information
Status	Demolished
Location	9 Scotts Road, Singapore
Coordinates	1°18′23″N103°49′55″E / 1.3065°N 103.8320°E
Opened	30 March 1968
Closed	31 May 1989
Owner	Vermont Realty
Technical details
Floor count	4
Design and construction
Architecture firm	Kee Yeap & Associates
Developer	Shaw Sung Ching

Last updated November 21, 2024

Tropicana was a 4-storey mixed-use building at 9 Scotts Road in Singapore. It was developed by Shaw Sung Ching and opened in 1968. Tropicana was reportedly the country's first building to contain nightclubs, restaurants, and a theatre. In February 1989, the plot on which the building stood was purchased for S$70 million (equivalent to S$125.1 million in 2022). Tropicana officially ceased operation four months later; it was subsequently demolished and replaced by the 12-storey Pacific Plaza.

History

Development

The Singapore Tourist Promotion Board (STPB) had envisaged building a nightclub-theatre complex since the mid-1960s. Together with architect Shaw Sung Ching, STPB began formulating plans to develop such a project in 1967.^[1]

Shaw later purchased the 25,000-square-foot (2,300 m²) 9 Scotts Road (which housed the apartment complex that he lived in) through his company, Vermont Realty, and designated it as the site of his new project.^[2]^[3] Shaw settled on the name "Tropicana", which he thought evoked Singapore's tropical climate.^[1]

Construction of the 4-storey Tropicana began in April 1967. The building was designed by Kee Yeap & Associates, while the interior was designed by Will Fernandez & Associates. An August 1967 report by The Straits Times estimated that Tropicana would cost S$1.5 million (equivalent to S$6 million in 2022) to build and another million dollars to furnish.^[3]

Opening and later years

Tropicana opened on 30 March 1968.^[4] It was reportedly the first entertainment complex in Singapore, if not all of Southeast Asia, to contain nightclubs, restaurants, and a theatre.^[3] The theatre of Tropicana was located on the first floor and typically hosted cabaret performers such as Les Doriss' Girls Revue from Paris.^[5] In 1971, American jazz musician Count Basie performed for one night at Tropicana; according to The Straits Times, the S$85 (equivalent to S$333.9 in 2022) tickets were "at the time the most costly for a performance in Singapore."^[6] Tropicana also housed several establishments for eating and drinking, including Le Bistro Bar, Orchard Lantern, Rasa Sayang, and a VIP lounge.^[7]

In February 1989, after some five months of negotiations with the Shaws,^[8] the site was purchased by the Hong-Kong based subsidiary of London and Edinburgh Trust, LET Pacific, for S$70 million (equivalent to S$125.1 million in 2022).^[7] Tropicana officially closed on 31 May 1989. It was demolished shortly after to make way for the 12-storey Pacific Plaza, which cost an additional S$65 million (equivalent to S$112.3 million in 2022) to construct and was completed in mid-1992.^[9]

In popular culture

Tropicana, a musical produced by Tan Kheng Hua, chronicles the lives of several Tropicana employees in the 1960s. It premiered at Singapore's Capitol Theatre in April 2017.^[10]

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References

1 2 Tan, Ooi Boon (31 May 1989). "Curtain falls on Tropicana". The Straits Times. p. 27.
↑ "Goodbye, Mr Tropicana". Today. 23 April 2003. p. 4.
1 2 3 Mok, Sin Pin (2 August 1967). "First of its kind in S.E. Asia". The Straits Times. p. 12.
↑ "S'pore's night life comes of age". The Straits Times. 30 March 1968. p. 11.
↑ "New look for theatrerestaurant complex". The Straits Times. 3 December 1976. p. 28.
↑ "Tropicana/Pacific Plaza". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 2 June 2023. Retrieved 13 July 2023.
1 2 Chua, Chin Chye (24 February 1989). "It's curtains for Tropicana". The New Paper. p. 3.
↑ "Hongkong company LET to spend $65m to redevelop Tropicana". The Straits Times. p. 29.
↑ "$140m building for Tropicana site". The Straits Times. 14 November 1990. p. 44.
↑ Tan, Jamie (19 October 2016). "Go back to the 1960s with new musical inspired by famed nightclub Tropicana". Archived from the original on 13 July 2023. Retrieved 13 July 2023.

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[ST310589-1] 1 2 Tan, Ooi Boon (31 May 1989). "Curtain falls on Tropicana". The Straits Times. p. 27.

[2] "Goodbye, Mr Tropicana". Today. 23 April 2003. p. 4.

[ST020867-3] 1 2 3 Mok, Sin Pin (2 August 1967). "First of its kind in S.E. Asia". The Straits Times. p. 12.

[4] "S'pore's night life comes of age". The Straits Times. 30 March 1968. p. 11.

[5] "New look for theatrerestaurant complex". The Straits Times. 3 December 1976. p. 28.

[ST1-6] "Tropicana/Pacific Plaza". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 2 June 2023. Retrieved 13 July 2023.

[TNP240289-7] 1 2 Chua, Chin Chye (24 February 1989). "It's curtains for Tropicana". The New Paper. p. 3.

[ST250289-8] "Hongkong company LET to spend $65m to redevelop Tropicana". The Straits Times. p. 29.

[9] "$140m building for Tropicana site". The Straits Times. 14 November 1990. p. 44.

[10] Tan, Jamie (19 October 2016). "Go back to the 1960s with new musical inspired by famed nightclub Tropicana". Archived from the original on 13 July 2023. Retrieved 13 July 2023.

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