No expense spared for SEA Games’ glitzy opener

SINGAPORE — The National Stadium will host the biggest and most spectacular multi-million-dollar show in South-east Asia with the opening ceremony of the 28th SEA Games in June.

The Republic previously hosted the regional multi-sport meet in 1993 and organisers are pulling out all the stops to ensure Singaporeans turn out in force for the June 5 to 16 Games.

Opening and closing ceremonies (OCC) creative director Beatrice Chia-Richmond has promised a show to remember on June 5. Clocking in at less than three hours, the opening show will feature a 40-minute, five-act show of lights and pyrotechnics, huge 3D flying props, songs and performances from local talents such as The Sam Willows and Shigga Shay, while paying tribute to nine of the nation’s sports legends.

To eclipse even the National Day Parade (NDP) in its technical demands, the show will feature an extensive aerial system in the stadium that can accommodate up to 14 flying props, while 160 multimedia projectors will create the largest high-definition floor projection. Spectators will also be involved by wearing a special medallion to collectively form a giant LED video screen as part of the show’s interactive element.

Prices for tickets to the opening and closing ceremonies were only announced yesterday, pegged at an affordable S$12 to S$60 for the curtain-raiser, while seats at the closing show will cost between S$12 and S$40.

Concession prices will apply for students, full-time National Servicemen and senior citizens, while groups of four will receive a 20 per cent discount, as an encouragement to families to catch the Games live.

Priority tickets (opening ceremony) for those who had earlier registered their interest went on sale yesterday, and the public can purchase tickets from Jan 22. The opening and closing ceremonies will offer 30,000 tickets each, as the 55,000-seater stadium will be reconfigured to 49,000 seats, with further allocation for props, officials and athletes. Tickets for the 36 sports to be competed will be available at the end of the month.

“We needed to find a way to make sure it was affordable and accessible, but naturally, not all seats are equal in the stadium … so we did have to tier the ticketing (prices),” said Mr Lim Teck Yin, chairman of the Singapore SEA Games Organising Committee (SINGSOC) Executive Committee, at a media conference yesterday.

Sponsorship figures for the Games have exceeded organisers’ S$50 million target and Mr Lim added: “We are not looking to make money from tickets and the SEA Games. This is a special year as it is Singapore’s 50th birthday. We just wanted to make sure everybody can afford a ticket, whether they are coming individually or as a family.”

While the total budget for the SEA Games is expected to be announced at a later date, SINGSOC said the cost of both ceremonies is benchmarked against the NDP, which cost about S$17 million and more than S$20 million in 2011 and 2010, respectively.

The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) will helm the ceremonies through its Artillery Formation with chief artillery officer COL Lawrence Lim as OCC chairman, in tandem with the creative team led by Ms Chia-Richmond, with about 5,000 performers and volunteers, and 3,500 soldiers.

Ms Chia-Richmond, who was creative director of NDP 2011, wants to deliver a big show with a lot of “heart”.

“We wanted to create a show that would be beautiful, inspiring and, most importantly, something that we can connect with and be proud of,” she said. “I signed up to put on a show, a spectacle, hopefully one that Singaporeans as well as our regional audiences will love, be proud of, feel connected with, be inspired by.”

Activities will be also be held to get Singaporeans behind the Games and Team Singapore athletes, with an Orchard Road rally scheduled on March 7, carnivals at the Sports Hub and Marina Bay, while athletes will engage students in the modular school programme, which has seen 128 schools signing up since last year.