The Marina Bay Sands Ice Skating Rink

Background

The skating rink at the Marina Bay Sand’s Integrated Resort in Singapore is located inside the retail complex on the Canal Level, next to the Rasapura Masters Food Court.  Operating hours are 10am to 10pm daily (closed 5pm-6pm for maintenance). http://www.marinabaysands.com/Singapore-Shopping/Skating-Rink/

 

The Marina Bay Sands Integrated Resort

 

It is pretty small, measuring only about 600 SM. The rink shape isn’t your typical elongated oval (an Olympic hockey rink comes in at about 1830 SM.  Given its small size it is mainly used just for recreational skating.  It is a good way to keep the kids happy since the rest of the integrated resort is geared for adults (lots of gaming, nightlife options, upscale shopping, celebrity chef restaurants, etc). 

While I’m focusing only on the rink at MBS, in case you’re curious and want to go ice skating in hot and humid Singapore, the MBS rink is one of only two operating ice skating rinks.  It came online with the opening of the integrated resort in 2010.  The only other rink is Kallang Ice World which opened in 2007 as part of the Kallang Leisure Park, located near the Stadium MRT.  At 975.5 SM, the Kallang rink is much bigger but still nowhere near Olympic size.  Nevertheless as Singapore’s larger rink, Kallang is the preferred practice rink for figure skaters and hockey players. Some more trivia that is sure to improve your life…the NTU figure skating club uses Kallang’s rink.  A third rink, Fuji Ice Palace, ceased operations in 2008.

Me at the MBS rink

Defining Space

Space in an ice skating rink is sold implicitly but not as implicitly as a hotel where space is split up into guest rooms or restaurants where space is divided into different types of seats.  The customer doesn’t know that they are being sold a piece of space which in this case would be the amount of space they are allocated based on the maximum safe capacity that the rink can handle.  

Defining Time

At the MBS rink, time is sold explicitly in hour-long blocks.    The pricing is as follows: S$7 for the first hour for adults (S$5 for additional hours), and S$6 for kids for the first hour (S$3 for additional hours).  This makes it easy to predict duration. 

Most other rinks in the industry (the kind that I’m more used to seeing) sell time in a more implicit manner using a flat rate that allows the skater to skate all day.  This sort of pricing scheme makes it hard to predict duration.

If MBS sticks with an explicit definition of time, it could consider splitting time up into the half hour, perhaps offering a 0.5 hour “quickie” or a 1.5 hour option.  The rink is small so I think most people will get bored pretty quickly and decide to leave before a full hour is up.  Thus a quickie may be an enticing offer.  They can do a few laps, take the necessary “victory” sign picture and move on with their day. 

For a rink that chooses to define time implicitly, another way is to split it into perhaps morning (10:00-noon), afternoon (noon-17:00), and evening sessions (17:00-closing). 

A night photo that I found online

Rate Fences

Rate fencing is not really utilized at the MBS skating rink except to divide the adult rate classes and child rate classes (a non-physical rate fence).  Age is used to prevent jumping to the lower rate class, though the cutoff age is not clear from the website.

Presently there doesn’t seem to be any real physical rate fence used.  There are no amenities (though I guess MBS can bundle in some equipment if they were to be more creative with managing the ice rink).  There are no “fancy ice skates” that can be rented at a premium over the regular ugly ones, and that can be used to differentiate a premium customer from a regular one.

Also since it is a small ice rink and people move around, there really isn’t a sweet spot that would allow you to sell a particular piece of it at a premium as you might be able to do for better seats in a movie theater or a nicer table in a restaurant.

The rink can consider rate fences to aid in RM efforts but it should probably approach it in a more back of the scenes approach (as in keep the pricing board at the ticketing counter as simple as possible).  The last thing you want to do is confuse the customer when they stare at the prices.  Here’s some ideas for rate fences.

  • If MBS begins to do reservations (i.e. for peak periods), a credit card guarantee against arrival uncertainty could be used to justify a discount for booking ahead.   
  • If MBS were to consider launching targeted promotions, adding in value adding amenities (i.e. souvenirs, equipment bundling, or some sort of special service like helping to clear the ice for a few minutes so a man can propose to his girlfriend) could be a physical rate fence. 
  • With discount promotions, restrictions on usage become a non-physical rate fence. 
  • If MBS were to introduce discounted pricing onto their pricing board based on time of day, day of week, weekday/weekend & public holiday, then these factors become non-physical fences
  • If MBS were to do group sales (more on that later), then the group affiliation becomes the non-physical fence.

 

Factors appropriate for Revenue Management

Fixed Capacity: The MBS rink has a fixed capacity.   It’s not going to get any bigger. There’s probably also a maximum limit of people who can be on the ice at any one time for safety reasons.

Perishable Inventory:  This is valuable real estate inside a busy retail complex.  If the space isn’t being utilized as efficiently as possible (i.e. not a lot of skaters) throughout the operating timeframe each day then there are lost revenue generating opportunities.

Appropriate Cost Structure: high fixed cost (to build it) and relatively low variable cost to run it (probably just some staff to sell tickets, handle the shoe rental, someone to watch for safety, and someone to drive the zamboni)

Varying Customer Price Sensitivity: maybe…Ice skating at MBS is pretty expensive.  I’m used to paying a flat rate back in the States which is something like $10 all day.  At MBS there is a fixed pricing scheme of S$7 for the first hour for adults (S$5 for additional hours), and S$6 for kids for the first hour (S$3 for additional hours).  While I’m sure there are tons of rich, price insensitive people who come to MBS, there are probably lots of poor people like me who just visit from time to time to walk around.  I might be more inclined to want to skate (on an impulsive whim) if they offer a variable pricing scheme with promotions for off-peak periods.

Predictable Demand and Time Variable Demand: MBS probably has the data to forecast customer arrival patterns by time of year, DOW, and TOD.  I don’t think they do reservations so you’re not going to really have an exact on-the-books kind of demand picture at the start of the day, but there might be a correlation of ice rink customer volume with occupancy patterns, particularly if drilled down to certain customer segments in house?

What Quadrant?

Currently the MBS ice rink is likely at quadrant 1.  It has a predictable duration (customer is charged based on how many hours they want to skate), and a fixed price (though they get a little discount after the first hour).  The rink would have to move towards a more dynamic pricing scheme in order to advance towards quadrant 2.

Measurement

Similar to a restaurant where customers start and end their meals at different times, the MBS ice rink has people starting and ending their time blocks at different times.  Additionally there is a limit to how many people who can safely be on the ice at one time. Although I’m not sure what the best way to measure success is, I’ve got two ideas.

One way is to use revenue per available square meter (RevPASM) since you know the rink dimension.  You can look at RevPASM hour by hour (to be more accurate you can look into prorating the revenue from each customer based on when they start and finish arriving at a total hourly revenue figure for the rink) and try to maximize it without overcrowding the rink. 

Another idea that I’m more inclined to attempt is that I’d take into account the maximum safe capacity of the rink based on company policy (or regulation?) and do an imaginary compartmentalization of space so that it can be sold more implicitly.  This would be analogous to dividing up a restaurant dining room into seats.  Instead of restaurant seats, you’d have skater-space (the amount of space you’d allocate for the skater on the rink).  So if I say 10 SM per skater, then I can safely put 60 skaters on the 600 SM rink.  Doing so, I can use a measurement similar to revenue per available seat hour (RevPASH) that incorporates both a space and time element: revenue per available skater-space hour, which abbreviates to RevPASSH (threw in the extra “S” to avoid confusion)

Ancillary Revenue

 Skate rental $3 (you’re forced to rent; cannot bring your own skates), socks $6 (probably b/c a lot of people probably make a last minute decision to skate and don’t have crew socks high enough to protect your ankles from chafing), gloves $10 (maybe if you fall a lot).  People who skate probably also spend some money on food (hot chocolate?) at the adjacent food court.  Additionally, they (especially the parents) probably are going to spend money in other parts of the integrated resort as well.

How to Boost Revenue Performance

For the MBS ice rink, probably the easiest way to boost revenue performance and get closer to Quadrant 2 is to examine RevPASSH and figure out the hot/cold periods throughout the day.  Then attempt to implement variable pricing to maximize revenue.  They can launch promotions and discounts to drive demand on the cold periods (i.e. through targeting their Premium Advantage member card holders).  Actually if they’re more concerned with a total RM approach, I want to put it out there that I’m a Premium Advantage card holder and I’m a sucker for free things.  So if they gave me a free skate hour I’d probably use it, and end up staying and blowing money in the casino after.  This suggests that if you can do something to get kids to beg their parents to take them to the rink, MBS stands a good chance of getting one parent to venture into the casino while the other watches the kids.     

MBS can make more money by selling ice rink souvenirs and enticing people to eat at the food court next to the rink.  You can have your hot chocolate.  And, since it’s Asia, there’s dim sum!

mmm.....dim sum!

Another thing MBS can do is to consider selling to small groups as part of their meeting package.  It could be marketed as a “quick fun break” where meeting goers can all go down and have a few minutes of fun.  But MBS must do this carefully and target the cold periods.  MBS is a large MICE facility.  The last thing you want is a few hundred meeting goers all demanding to use the rink at once.  The poor rink attendant will get slaughtered.

Additionally they can look into streamlining the procedures to get people off the ice quickly once their time is up and to clean and turn over the ice skates. This will help to enforce the predictable duration and also reduce time between customers.

32,289 thoughts on “The Marina Bay Sands Ice Skating Rink

  1. It is a good site post without fail. Not too many people would actually, the way you just did. I am impressed that there is so much information about this subject that has been uncovered and you’ve defeated yourself this time, with so much quality. Good Works! express adobe

  2. What a great blog website! Keep up the good work; you done a terrific job of touching on everything that matters to all readers. And your blog pays far more attention to details. I really appreciate you sharing.
    Traffic Lawyer Fairfax VA

  3. The height of grace and beauty is achieved by our Student Escorts in Karachi. They are the perfect companions whether you are going on a business trip, out or having a romantic evening at home. You will constantly want more because of their talent for seduction. Due to their endearing personalities and beautiful looks, your trip to Karachi will be truly unforgettable.

  4. The best strategies for dealing with stress and loneliness are to have a wide variety of fun activities and to have a lot of sexual satisfaction. You want to hang out with girls who support your pursuit of happiness. Regardless of the form of entertainment, The Lahore Escort have given a high degree of passive satisfaction to their clients. To have so much joy, you will definitely find love and meaningful entertainment.

  5. It’s really great. Thank you for providing a quality article. There is something you might be interested in. Do you know ? If you have more questions, please come to my site and check it out!
    메이저사이트

  6. รีวิว hotgraph88 เว็บเกมส์กราฟสุดฮิต เว็บหลัก รีวิวhotgraph88 เล่นง่าย ได้เงินไว เทรดไม่เป็นก็เล่นได้

  7. I haven’t any word to appreciate this post…..Really i am impressed from this post….the person who create this post it was a great human..thanks for shared this with us. medium post

  8. I found so many interesting stuff in your blog especially its discussion. From the tons of comments on your articles, I guess I am not the only one having all the enjoyment here! keep up the good work… express adobe

  9. Bimabet merupakan situs slot gacor dengan pendaftaran id pro dan memiliki permainan yang lengkap serta gampang maxxwin. bimabet juga memiliki rtp yang sangat updete dan terpecaya hingga 98,80% bimabet

  10. Rapidtags Is YouTube tags generator is a free tool that allows you to easily generate SEO optimized YouTube tags / keywords for your video. To generate best tags for your video enter the video title below and click “Generate Tags Keywords & facebook #Hashtags”.

  11. Today Horoscopes are popular in the United States and are often found in daily newspapers, magazines, and online publications. They are often grouped into the 12 signs of the zodiac, as I mentioned earlier, and are usually written for a general audience. Horoscopes are used to provide people with information about how the planets and stars might be affecting their lives on a day-to-day basis. Some people read their horoscopes as a form of entertainment, while others believe that they can provide insight and guidance.

  12. Ensure that the company prioritizes safety measures and adheres to local regulations. Check if their boats are well-maintained, equipped with safety gear, and if they provide trained guides or staff members who are knowledgeable about safety procedures. baliboat.tours

  13. They’re produced by the very best degree developers who will be distinguished for your polo dress creating. You’ll find polo Ron Lauren inside exclusive array which include particular classes for men, women. Animixplay

  14. I feel really happy to have seen your webpage and look forward to so many more entertaining times reading here. Thanks once more for all the details. Animixplay

  15. https://ephratamerchants.com/keuntungan-tersendiri-ketika-bergabung-di-ion-slot-online/
    judi slot online terpercaya adalah perusahan game judi slot online terbaik di Indonesia dan paling gacor dengan jackpot slot terbesar dengan produk judi online terpercaya dan terlengkap seperti judi slot online terpercaya slot88 judi slot online terpercaya dan slot online terbaik slot online menyediakan daftar situs judi slot online terbaik dan slot gacor gampang menang yang sangat disukai oleh masyarakat Indonesia

  16. PROPLAY88 adalah situs Taruhan online gacor dengan tampilan terbaik & terpercaya, login & daftar proplay 88 melalui link alternatif proplay88 slot asia. proplay88

  17. INDOSUPER adalah situs Taruhan online gacor dengan tampilan terbaik & terpercaya, login & daftar indo super melalui link alternatif indosuper slot asia. indosuper

  18. 서울출장마사지 서비스를 전문적으로 운영 중이며 선입금 없는 후불제 프리미엄 출장 서비스입니다. 힐링이 필요하신가요? 아니면 전문적인 관리사의 케어가 필요하신가요? 서울출장안마

  19. I discovered your blog internet site online and appearance a couple of your early posts. Always maintain within the really good operate. I simply additional encourage RSS feed to my MSN News Reader. Seeking forward to reading far more on your part at a later time!… 아바타배팅

  20. Succeed! It could be one of the most useful blogs we have ever come across on the subject. Excellent info! I’m also an expert in this topic so I can understand your effort very well. Thanks for the huge help. imdb.com

  21. Wow, What an Outstanding post. I found this too much informatics. It is what I was seeking for. I would like to recommend you that please keep sharing such type of info.If possible, Thanks. elpapa hatena.ne.jp

  22. Yes, I am entirely agreed with this article, and I just want say that this article is very helpful and enlightening. I also have some precious piece of concerned info !!!!!!Thanks. netvibes.com

  23. Great job here on _______ I read a lot of blog posts, but I never heard a topic like this. I Love this topic you made about the blogger’s bucket list. Very resourceful. cdc.gov

  24. Marina Bay Sands memang sangat menyenangkan dikunjungi namun juga sangatlah jauh. Untuk para penggemar slot gacor, kamu bisa bermain hari ini di judi online Rumah303.

  25. You have performed a great job on this article. It’s very precise and highly qualitative. You have even managed to make it readable and easy to read. You have some real writing talent. Thank you so much. hp.com

  26. GlucoTrust

    GLUCOTRUST 2023 – GlucoTrust Review – GlucoTrust Supplement Review – GlucoTrust Blood Sugar Analysis

    #glucotrustreview #glucotrustreviews #glucotrustsupplementreviews

  27. You have performed a great job on this article. It’s very precise and highly qualitative. You have even managed to make it readable and easy to read. You have some real writing talent. Thank you so much. twitch

  28. Believe it or not, it is the type of information I’ve long been trying to find. It matches to my requirements a lot. Thank you for writing this information. twitch

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *