By Johanna M. Sampan, The Manila Times, PhilippinesMcClatchy-Tribune Regional News

http://www.hotel-online.com/Neo/News/2009_Jan_29/k.MFL.1233167136.html

Jan. 29–Braving the commonalities of the facilities in a hotel, Crown Regency Hotel and Towers in Cebu City recently launched The Edge Coaster and Sky Walk Extreme Sky Adventure to have new tourist spots not just in the land of Magellan’s Cross but as well as in the country.

Located at the 38th floor is The Edge Coaster. The first of its kind in the Philippines, each unit has two seats that can be titled up to 55 degrees. Safely and tightly fastened in the coaster, it revolves around the edge of the hotel that takes approximately four minutes. The sensation of what hanging on the edge of the building is what the ride is all about. While on the ride, you can have the panoramic view of the Queen City of the South. To make the excitement and thrill more evident, joysticks are accessible to control the tilting.

On Sky Walk Extreme Sky Adventure is on the 37th floor. Guests need to wear SkyWalk suits that are attached to harnesses to ensure safety. This experience allows anyone to walk around the edge of the building on see through glass flooring. The tour guide will assist and take pictures while embarking on the tour.

Both attractions have no height and weight limitations and can be enjoyed by everyone–except of course, by infants.

“This concept can’t bee seen anywhere in the Philippines. We’re really going miles ahead by offering entertainment and leisure, all in one roof,” Hitesh Sampat, Crown Regency Hotel and Towers general manager shares.

“First in the country, we hope that people wouldn’t leave and say that ‘it was nothing’ because we aim to give them memorable moments for them to remember,” Sampat adds.

“We ensure that the rides are safe. The Sky Walk Adventure passed all the international standards for its level and passenger safety system has been tested through the years. As long as your under 5,000 pounds, you’ll be safe,” Danny Dy, managing director of International Link Management and Consultancy, the firm behind the Sky Walk Experience relates.

Extreme activities are open from 8 a.m. to 2 a.m. daily and it costs P500 each on first try and P400 for succeeding rides.

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Copyright (c) 2009, The Manila Times, Philippines

Thursday, February 19, 2009
BY NANCY R. CUDIS, Sun.Star Staff Reporter

A REAL estate industry player has intensified its marketing efforts to attract prospective buyers who are less affected by the global financial crisis.

Fuente Triangle Realty Development, a subsidiary of Cebu-based J. King & Sons Co. Inc. (JKSCI), is eyeing markets in the Middle East and other parts of Asia.

“(Our) package investments (are) good for those who are doubting investments in other countries but would rather want to settle their investments in hotel rooms, condotels, in properties that have value enhancers (and) are linked up with tourism,” said Jose Ma. Gianzon, vice-president for sales and marketing of Fuente Triangle Realty Development.

Fuente Triangle Realty, incorporated three years ago, is the sales and marketing force behind Ultima Residences Towers, among JKSCI’s projects in Cebu.

JKSCI is simultaneously implementing real estate developments in Cebu City (Fuente Tower 3 and Ultima Residences Ramos Tower) and in Boracay (Crown Regency Resort and Convention Center).

Gianzon disclosed that there are 40 available units at Ultima Residences Ramos Tower that are available for investors while the Boracay project has 280 to 300 units.

JKSCI is also renovating some floors at Club Ultima Fuente Tower 2 to accommodate commercial spaces for sale, and a diagnostics center dedicated for visitors, travelers, businessmen and medical tourists. The firm’s Crown Regency Tower on Osmeña Blvd., Cebu City will also house a casino, to add to existing recreation facilities, like the Sky Experience Adventure.

“We will be replicating buildings that you will find only in Las Vegas. These (facilities in dining, health and fitness, recreation and entertainment) would add value to the properties we are selling here,” said Gianzon.

As part of its sales and marketing campaign, Fuente Triangle is planning to reach out to the “30 to 40 percent of the market” that is less affected by the crisis.

The real estate firm is also looking at individuals who want to become part of the real estate industry and entrepreneurs who are looking for business space.

According to Fuente Triangle, having an office beside Crown Regency Hotel & Towers—considered to be the tallest hotel tower in the country—not only lends social prestige but also the benefits of a total lifestyle environment.

“Those who are attracted to us are solid people who have decided to push through with their investments. We have also cleaned up our inventories and re-opened a few that mean opportunities not only for investors but also for sellers,” said Gianzon.

He observed that while the economic turmoil has slowed down real estate investments, it has not pushed down the prices of the industry’s products.

He also noted that his office continues to receive inquiries while Cebu continues to welcome more visitors.

By Anne Jambora
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 23:44:00 01/17/2009

Filed Under: Tourism, Lifestyle & Leisure

RIDING a coaster along the edge of a building 430 feet off the ground may not seem much to a hardcore thrill-seeker, but have you tried it face down with the safety locks supporting just the lower body? Maybe not, unless you’ve been to Cebu City recently.

The Crown Regency Hotel and Towers on Fuente Osmeña Boulevard, in the heart of Cebu City, launched what could become the south’s entertainment icon—the Sky Experience Adventure (SEA).

Atop the tallest hotel in the city, the $5-million SEA has the Edge Coaster, a unique amusement ride that coasts along the outline of the building face down. Inclined at 55 degrees at the start of the ride, the two-seat coaster can tilt up to a dizzying 90 degrees. How much further it tilts, or not tilt at all, you can control at the push of a button.

The Edge Coaster is not about speed, but about the thrill of enjoying a bird’s eye view of the cityscape. Each ride makes a full turn around the tower in four minutes.

“We want to be the new landmark of Cebu. If you haven’t paid us a visit, you haven’t been in Cebu,” said Richard King, whose brainchild is the SEA. He’s chair and CEO of property developer J. King and Sons Co. Inc., (JKSCI). JKSCI is developer of Crown Regency Hotel and Towers.

SEA also has the Sky Walk Extreme where visitors walk on a four-foot-wide strip around the tower, supported by safety harness. The finale is a glass walkway about 10-15 ft long. You can jump, dance, or pretend to be falling on the edge; or have yourself photographed by the SEA official lensman like you are standing on air.

Safety, said King, is SEA priority. SEA is so sure of its visitors’ safety that no one is required to sign a waiver before the ride.

Designed and engineered by Interactive Rides Inc., which created the amusement rides on top of the Stratosphere Las Vegas Hotel and Casino and the adventure experiences at Macau Tower, SEA complies with the strictest international safety standards, officials said.

Harnesses for the Sky Walk Adventure alone, said Danny Dy, managing director of International Link Management and Consultancy, cost more than $100,000 each, while each rope can carry the weight of several people put together at the same time.

State-of-the-art technology is coded in all rides that at any given time of day, engineers at Interactive Rides Inc. in the US can monitor what’s happening in the country through the Internet—in real time.

SEA also has a Sky Observatory equipped with coin-operated binoculars and telescopes. Since SEA is open until midnight, the binoculars are also a good way to peek into the stars.

Sky Lounge serves fast-food fare and finger foods. Sky Resto Bar has entrees for the casual diner, while Stratus Restaurant has international dish selection.

Next year, King said SEA will open the Insanity Orbit, the exact replica of that at the top of the Stratosphere Las Vegas. Insanity Orbit is a massive mechanical arm that extends over the edge of the tower and spins at a force of 3 Gs.

By Lester Gopela Hallig of  Philippine Star

These were the four reassuringly confident words that Sky Experience Adventure general manager William “Bill” Killgore told us as we conquered our fear of heights at the Sky Walk Extreme.

Located at the 37th floor of the Crown Regency Hotel & Towers in Cebu, the Sky Walk Extreme lets thrill-seekers walk around the edge of the building, incidentally the tallest hotel structure in the Philippines. He said, “This is the first in the country and the 360-degree view is just awesome. It passed international safety standards, so don’t fear.”

The platform where Sky walkers would step on looked intimidating, but Killgore immediately, well, killed any more morbid thoughts that could arise.

He said, “For starters, the Walk can hold up to 5,000 pounds. There is a harness that will be strapped very securely around you. Even if you fall off, which is a long shot, you’re not going down. You’ll just hang for awhile. Besides, you won’t be doing the Sky Walk Extreme. There are guides who will walk along with you.”

Before we knew it, we were already in an orange jumpsuit and white sneakers being strapped to safety. The guides gave us a little briefing on safety and an added encouragement. Apparently, the deer-caught-in-the-headlights look in our faces had become embarrassingly evident.

When we finally stepped out on the platform and began our walk, we were instantly seized with a little — just a little — sense of panic. Remember, you have someone here suffering from acrophobia. Our guides humored us during our first few steps and very efficiently distracted this moment of agitation by pointing out the breathtaking view that was set before us.

Our jaws dropped at the magnificent scenery. We could see not just the whole of Cebu but even its neighboring islands and beyond. You want something as far as the eyes could see? The Sky Walk Extreme made sure ours did. We got too busy taking in the experience that we absolutely forgot about our fear. The adventure stroll turned out to be both comforting and exciting.

The walk around the building took around 15 minutes to finish, and our stunts included sitting on the edge of the platform while our feet dangled in the air, dancing on the ledge (yes, ledge dancing to the highest level), and being dared to look 37 floors down. Who knew that walking would give such an adrenalin rush?

Another kind of adrenalin rush was waiting in the form of the Edge Coaster. Found at the 38th floor directly above the Sky Walk, the interactive ride called Edge Coaster is the stuff man-on-the-street daredevils would instantly consider. It is the first ride of its kind in the world.

“Just like the Sky Walk Extreme, the Edge Coaster is very safe. It was done by Interactive Rides Inc., known for building the safest and most extreme thrill rides in the world. Their most famous work is the Stratosphere in Las Vegas,” Killgore said. The ride is securely held together by double-redundant restraint systems.

Think about it: the Edge Coaster moves around the edge of the building and tilts 55 degrees. Give it a try and feel like you’re hanging or in some instances, about to literally fall off your seat. Of course, the riders are provided with joysticks, so they could control the tilt level.

Richard King, chairman and CEO of J. King & Sons, is proud of his brainchild. “The Sky Experience Adventure is the latest attraction in the world’s amusement industry. Nowhere else can you find an amusement center like this at the top of a hotel building.”

King declared, “We are definitely taking the hospitality industry to exciting new tangents. Our future hotel projects will also have rides and thrills similar to this.”

The rides at Crown Regency Cebu are not stopping with the Sky Walk Extreme and Edge Coaster. In 2010, the Insanity Orbit will take a bow. The Insanity Orbit, which is being installed at the 40th floor of the building, is an inverted centrifuge that will take passengers on a spin at up to three Gs. It will pull riders out in escape-proof seats to an angle of 70 degrees, tilting passengers facedown from the top floor. The Insanity Orbit will be the second ride of its kind in the world, following the Stratosphere.

Killgore said, “The Sky is the total experience. We have the rides, the restaurants, the live bands, and the hotel. It is a one-stop shop. There is nothing like it in the Philippines. People interested in rollercoasters must have thought that they only existed in other countries. Here in Cebu, it is accessible and reasonably priced.”

“All this is our humble contribution to our tourism industry. We are proud to say that Cebu is the only spot in the world where you can find this kind of excitement,” King concluded

*****