by

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.

32,278 thoughts on “The Marina Bay Sands Ice Skating Rink”

  1. I think this is an informative post and it is very beneficial and knowledgeable. Therefore, I would like to thank you for the endeavors that you have made in writing this article. All the content is absolutely well-researched. Thanks… slot dana

  3. I know your expertise on this. I must say we should have an online discussion on this. Writing only comments will close the discussion straight away! And will restrict the benefits from this information. scatter hitam

  5. I was in search of informative article on the internet, but I didn’t find anything. But yours is really great having informative details. It is pretty useful for me as I want to get started with blogs. Keep making such great content so the readers can get all they are looking for.
    Kolkata Escorts

  6. Really great post. I just unearthed your online journal and needed to say that I have truly delighted in perusing your blog entries. Any way I’ll be subscribing to your food and I trust you post again soon. Huge much obliged for the valuable data. Agen parlay Terpercaya

  8. Today, I went to the beachfront with my kids.
    I found a sea shell and gave it to my 4 year old daughter and said “You can hear the ocean if you put this to your ear.” She put the shell
    to her ear and screamed. There was a hermit crab inside and it pinched her ear.
    She never wants to go back! LoL I know this is entirely off topic but I had
    to tell someone!

    Here is my web-site :: goldsvet firelink

  9. Dr. Prateek Vyas is undoubtedly one of the Best Urologist in Jaipur . With his expertise and compassionate care, he provides exceptional treatment for a wide range of urological issues. As the founder of Vyas Hospital and Andro Genta Clinic, Dr. Vyas has helped numerous patients with conditions related to the urinary system and male reproductive health. His advanced knowledge, combined with the state-of-the-art facilities at his clinics, ensures the highest quality care. Highly recommended for anyone seeking reliable, professional, and effective urological treatment in Jaipur.

  10. It was a nice article with useful information. Thanks for sharing this. It’s a good article. In my opinion, this essay is really helpful to both myself and other people. arlington dui defense lawyer In Arlington, Virginia, you need a DUI defense lawyer who is knowledgeable about the local court system as well as the nuances of Virginia’s DUI laws. License suspensions, hefty fines, and even jail time are among Arlington County’s severe consequences for driving under the influence, particularly for those with a history of infractions or a higher blood alcohol level. Effectively protecting your rights in a DUI prosecution requires selecting the correct lawyer because the verdict might have serious long-term repercussions.

  11. I really like your article. It’s evident that you have a lot knowledge on this topic. Your points are well made and relatable. Thanks for writing engaging and interesting material. iptv premium

  12. Thanks for every other excellent post. The place else may just anyone get that kind of info in such an ideal manner of writing? I’ve a presentation subsequent week, and I am at the look for such information. abonnement iptv

  14. Call Girl in India is a professional service that offers companionship to individuals seeking private and discreet encounters. Our carefully selected call girls are well-trained in the art of providing companionship and are committed to ensuring that our clients have a memorable experience.

  16. When do you think this Real Estate market will go back in a positive direction? Or is it still too early to tell? We are seeing a lot of housing foreclosures in Altamonte Springs Florida. What about you? Would love to get your feedback on this. abonnement iptv

  18. At Bazaar Breeze, function meets fashion. Today, we would like to explore the iconic piece of men’s wear that is a combination of rugged charm and timeless style—the leather vest. A leather vest is not just an accessory; it is a statement piece that can elevate any outfit, whether you are going for simpler or more or more sophisticated looks.

  23. Excellent blog! Do you have any suggestions for aspiring writers?
    I’m planning to start my own site soon but I’m a little lost on everything.
    Would you suggest starting with a free platform like WordPress
    or go for a paid option? There are so many choices out there that I’m completely confused ..
    Any suggestions? Kudos!

    My web-site – ukraine 1gbps dedicated servers

  25. Fantastic beat ! I would like to apprentice while you amend your web
    site, how could i subscribe for a blog website? The account aided me a
    acceptable deal. I had been tiny bit acquainted of this
    your broadcast offered bright clear concept

    my webpage; mexc.com

  29. I’m happy I found this weblog, I couldnt uncover any data on this topic matter prior to. I also run a site and if you want to ever serious in a little bit of guest writing for me if feasible really feel free to let me know, i’m always look for people to examine out my site. Please stop by and leave a comment sometime! slot gacor

  30. That’s the reason center on it’s essential to precise ground moves well before writing. Might be attainable so that you can extra advisable text that way slot88

  32. ตั๋ว การเล่น ยี่กีเป็น วิธี
    การ เล่นเกม หวยที่ ได้รับความนิยม อย่างมากใน
    ท้องถิ่น ไทย ซึ่งมี คล้ายกับ กับ การพนัน ลอตเตอรี่ทั่วไป แต่มี ความแตกต่างจาก
    ในด้าน การตัดสินใจเลือก ตัวเลขที่ และ กระบวนการ
    ในการซื้อ กระจายสินค้า

    การ ทดลองเล่น หวยยี่กีนั้น ผู้ ซื้อ จะ เลือกสรร
    ตัวเลข จำนวน 2-3 ตัว ซึ่ง ก็อาจจะ เป็น เลขชุด ที่มี ความหมายเฉพาะ หรือ เลขมงคล ที่เกิด ใน ความเชื่อมั่น
    ของแต่ละ จากนั้น ส่งให้ หมายเลข เหล่านั้น ไปเข้าซื้อ ที่ ตัวแทนจำหน่าย
    จำหน่าย การเดิมพัน ยี่กี
    ซึ่ง โดยทั่วไป จะเป็น ร้านจำหน่าย
    ปลีก ทุกแห่ง ในชุมชน

    สิ่งที่ ทำให้ การเดิมพัน ยี่กี ได้รับการนิยม มาก ก็เพราะว่า อัตราตอบแทน การจ่าย
    รางวัลที่ ซึ่ง โดยทั่วไป จะ มากกว่า ตั๋ว รัฐบาล โดย ซึ่งเฉพาะ
    ในกรณี ตัวเลข ถูกมา เป็น หมายเลข ซึ่ง
    ไม่ค่อยจะ ใน ตั๋ว รัฐบาล ซึ่งก็ ก็ทำให้ ผู้ พนัน อาจได้รับ ผล ผลรางวัล
    อันใด มากกว่า หาก ตัวเลข
    ที่ ตัดสินใจเลือก ถูกมา

    อย่างไร ที่ การ ทดลองเล่น ลอตเตอรี่ ยี่กีนั้นก็ มีความ
    ความเสี่ยงอย่างมาก มากเกินไป เนื่องจาก ลักษณะที่เป็น การ พนัน อันที่
    อาศัย บุญกรรม อย่างใช่หลัก
    ซึ่งอาจ ทำให้ผู้เล่น
    สูญเสีย เงินจำนวนมากหลายสิบเท่า ในกรณี ไม่ถูกรางวัล
    รางวัล ดังนั้น จึงควร ขอเล่น ด้วยการ ความระมัดระวัง

    ในภาพรวม ลอตเตอรี่
    ยี่กีถือเป็น กิจกรรมการพนัน ที่ได้รับ อย่างกว้างขวาง
    ใน ท้องถิ่น ไทย แม้ว่าจะ ประกอบไปด้วย ความเสี่ยงมาก มากมาย แต่ก็ยังมี ที่ ปฏิบัติ ความ ความสนใจอย่างยิ่ง และ ขอเล่น การพนัน ยี่กีอย่าง อย่างสม่ำเสมอ ทั้ง เพื่อที่จะ
    ต้องการให้ ผล รางวัลตอบแทน
    อันที่ สูง และ เพื่อที่จะ หา
    ความ ความต่ืนตัว จาก การลองเล่น

    my blog: คาสิโนเว็บไซต์ (https://fl.liaochengquan.cn/home.php?mod=space&uid=1510629)

  34. Great insights shared here! For students tackling complex topics in finance, finding the right support can make all the difference. If you’re looking for specialized Corporate Finance Assignment Help, my services offer tailored guidance to clarify concepts and enhance your assignments. Let’s make finance easier to navigate.

  35. https://thejuwa.org is dedicated to online gaming and provides an engaging experience for enthusiasts. The site’s design and layout, powered by the Kadence theme, make it easy for users to navigate and access gaming content seamlessly.

  36. Selamat datang di BAWANGTOTO Platform Situs Online Terpercaya dengan ribuan permainan online yang bisa di main kan seperti All Slot Games, Live Games, dan Bandar Togel Terpercaya. Dengan minimal deposit 10 ribu anda sudah bisa bermain di platform situs ini, bukan hanya itu saja ada juga fitur menarik seperti Bonus Terbesar di semua permainan, RTP gacor terupdate, Buku Tafsir Mimpi, dan masih banyak lagi fitur menarik di dalam nya. Buruan Daftar dan Menang Maksimal.

  38. I am deeply grateful to all who offered their support and insights in developing this content. Your guidance and encouragement were crucial to bringing this work to fruition. Thank you sincerely for your meaningful contributions. – punjab state dear 10

  39. When do you think this Real Estate market will go back in a positive direction? Or is it still too early to tell? We are seeing a lot of housing foreclosures in Altamonte Springs Florida. What about you? Would love to get your feedback on this. beli followers

  40. Heya i am for the first time here. I found this board and
    I find It truly useful & it helped me out much.
    I hope to give something back and aid others like you aided
    me.

    Here is my web site – free onlyfans account

  44. After research a couple of of the weblog posts in your website now, and I really like your method of blogging. I bookmarked it to my bookmark website record and will probably be checking back soon. Pls check out my site as effectively and let me know what you think. Computers & Accessories ihokibet 88

  48. "Leo娛樂城"是一個知名的線上娛樂平台，提供各種遊戲和賭博選項，包括體育賽事投注、真人賭場、電子遊戲和棋牌等。用戶可以在平台上享受刺激的遊戲體驗，並且能夠參加各種優惠活動和獲得豐富的獎金。平台擁有簡單易用的介面和高效的客戶服務，讓玩家可以隨時隨地進行遊戲。無論是新手還是經驗豐富的玩家，Leo娛樂城都能提供多樣化的娛樂選擇。

  49. "Leo娛樂城"是一個知名的線上娛樂平台，提供各種遊戲和賭博選項，包括體育賽事投注、真人賭場、電子遊戲和棋牌等。用戶可以在平台上享受刺激的遊戲體驗，並且能夠參加各種優惠活動和獲得豐富的獎金。平台擁有簡單易用的介面和高效的客戶服務，讓玩家可以隨時隨地進行遊戲。無論是新手還是經驗豐富的玩家，Leo娛樂城都能提供多樣化的娛樂選擇。

  50. 老虎機贏錢秘訣並非絕對，但有些策略可提高勝算。首先，選擇回報率較高的機台，通常在賭場內會標示。其次，了解每台機器的投注規則，調整投注金額以匹配自己的預算。控制賭局時間，避免過度投注，也可考慮設定贏錢目標，達成後及時離開，保持理智。此外，定期更換機台或換遊戲也有助於改變運氣。記得，老虎機本質是運氣遊戲。

Leave a Reply

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