Having seen Iskandar Malaysia, and specifically Medini up close from when it was still on the cusp of development four years ago, when Legoland was but a pile of bricks in the workshop, the proposed 600-acre EduCity appearing only in the form of 3D models encased in glass enclosure, and the only residential development undergoing works was the 1Medini.
Fast forward to the present, and stepping into Nusajaya, Zone B of the region’s five flagship zones again, we find ourselves like the tiny Lego men inside a huge massive Lego workshop amidst the flurry of development and action, going on everywhere around us.
The bare orange land that used to be Legoland is not a bustling hive of activities for the tourists and families, who visit the theme park in droves throughout the calendar year. Having welcomed over two million visitors within its first year opening in 2012, The Legoland Hotel has seen its occupancy rate at a consistent 97% with it fully sold out during peak periods from June to November each year.
Just on the border of EduCity lies the 36.4-hectare school campus of the Marlborough College Malaysia, which, of course, gives students a chance to follow in the footsteps of notable alumni including the Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton and singer-songwriter Chris de Burgh. As a genuine extension of its British parent, both campuses will share its highly qualified faculty, with many of the teaching staff originating from the Marlborough College in Britain. With plans to grow to an eventual 1,300 by 2018 from the present 733 students, Marlborough College provides locals and expatriates in Malaysia and Singapore a welcome alternative.
Within the EduCity, the list of renowned education partners include the Newcastle University Medicine Malaysia (NUMed), the University of Southampton Malaysia Campus (USMC), the Multimedia University (MMU) which is in collaboration with the University of Southern California (USC), the school where George Lucas learned his craft, the Raffles American School (RAS) that offers an American style curriculum, and more.
The Nusajaya Industrial Park, Nusajaya Tech-park, the Pinewood Iskandar Malaysia Studios of which filming is currently ongoing for the Netflix original series Marco Polo, the Medini 6 housing Huawei and BCB, are just some of the commercial developments that have been completed or in the works for Medini, in line with the nine promoted sectors outlined in the enhanced Comprehensive Development Plan ii 2014-2025 (CDPii) last November.
Among the six services sector highlighted in the plan, the tourism segment has seen regular stream of visitors from Malaysia and Singapore, as well as tourists from around the world. The Family Entertainment Centre located near Puteri Habour also serves as a complementing attraction to The Legoland Malaysia, with other attractions such as the golf courses, spas and wellness attractions, and the Johor Premium Outlets.
From the one single residential project in the works to the numerous developments that have sprung up over this short period of three years, the area has seen numerous developments including 1Medini, Sunway Iskandar, Pinetree Residences, Teega @ Puteri Habour, and not forgetting, the Puteri Cove Residences & Quayside, which attracts investors, businesses and home-owners, much in line with the overall development plan of Iskandar Malaysia.
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