Marina Square through the years: A timeline

Land reclamation works to create the Marina Bay area began in 1971, according to the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA).

One phase of the works was completed in 1977, creating a site known as Marina Centre, according to an article published in the National Library Board publication BiblioAsia.

In 1978, URA offered land in Marina Centre to developers for the first time as part of a land sale involving 21 sites. The sale was also the first in which foreign developers were invited to participate, The Business Times reported in November of that year.

Six of the sites were located in Marina Centre, with three earmarked for hotels and one for a shopping or entertainment complex.

1983: Settling on a name

In 1981, the name “Marina Centre” came to apply to a project in the area, consisting of a mall and three hotels, being developed by a consortium led by SingLand. However, the developers would soon face what The Singapore Monitor called a “name problem”.

According to reports published in the now-defunct newspaper in November 1983, the developers had not sought approval to use the name, and the authorities took issue with it as it was meant to be the name of the whole area.

As such, the developers were asked to submit a new name for the complex to an advisory committee that decided on the names of roads and buildings – the predecessor of today’s Street and Building Names Board.

After considering several alternative names submitted by the developers, the committee decided on Nov 25, 1983, that the project would be renamed “Marina Square”. Final approval was needed from the Finance Ministry, but the name quickly stuck in the media.

Other names suggested by the developers included Marina Esplanade and Hai Bin Square, according to The Singapore Monitor.