- Mines Wellness City
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Mines Wellness City (formerly known as Mines Resort City) is an integrated Health and Wellness resort city in Malaysia. It is both an expansion and transformation of the current Mines Resort City. The expansion of the city is part of the government’s Economic Transformation Plan (ETP) which is spearheaded by PEMANDU (Performance Management and Delivery Unit), under the Prime Minister’s Department. It was announced on 11 January 2011 by the Prime Minister of Malaysia Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.[1][2]
Mines Wellness City is located south of the federal district of Kuala Lumpur in Seri Kembangan, Selangor. The land was formerly the world's largest open cast tin mine. It consists of Palace of the Golden Horses, Mines Wellness Hotel, Golden Horses Health Sanctuary, The Mines Shopping Centre, Mines Waterfront Business Park, Mines Resort & Golf Club and Malaysia International Exhibition & Convention Centre. It is the current residence of the former Prime Minister of Malaysia Tun Mahathir bin Mohamad.[3] Coordinates: 3°02′N 101°43′E / 3.033°N 101.717°E
Contents
History
From Mine to City
Mines Wellness City was formerly the site of the Hong Fatt Mine, which was the largest opencast tin mine in the world, covering 1,300 acres, including the lakes. Malaysian Government alienated the land to Country Heights Holdings Bhd (CHHB) on 30 March 1988 for the development of recreational and tourism. Country Heights Holdings Berhad is founded by Tan Sri Dato’ Paduka Lee Kim Yew and incorporated officially on the 10th May 1984 under a private limited company with the name of Kurniata Sdn Bhd.[4] CHHB was focus on three core businesses which are property development, property investment as well as hospitality, leisure and health.
The land was alienated for RM50mil, which equates to about RM1 per square foot (psf). To ensure that market-driven components were developed, CHHB appointed an international planner from Australia to create a rejuvenation-based master plan, focusing on vegetation and landscaping of the mines. In complementing the objectives, CHHB built a golf course, the Palace of the Golden Horses with a unique architectural design, The Palace Beach and Spa with a man-made beach and swimming lagoon, and The Malaysia International Mines Exhibition and Convention Centre. Also, CHHB built the Mines Shopping Fair and a theme park named Mines Wonderland within the Mines Resort City.
Components
In order to complement the tourism theme, a five-star hotel, the Palace of the Golden Horses [1] with a distinctive architectural design and Mines Wellness Hotel (formerly known as The Mines Beach Resort and Spa) with a man-made beach and swimming lagoon were built. Other components of development completed to date within the Mines Resort City are the Mines Shopping Fair and a theme park named Mines Wonderland. In March 2010, CapitaMalls Asia has re-branded Mines Shopping Fair to a contemporary neighborhood shopping mall with a major upgrading work, including additional retail space, revamping the carpark system, changing new wash rooms, creating additional link bridges and new sets of escalators inside the mall.[5]
Offices at the Mines Waterfront Business Park were developed to provide business accommodation within a scenic and conducive working environment with a fine view of the lake. An ongoing development is the five-star Heritage Serviced Residence, which is themed with Peranakan cultural heritage throughout.
With the exception of one of the office blocks within the Mines Waterfront, all components of development are retained by the developer to ensure control and management of the components. To complement the investment-type properties, the developer created a premier residential project, which was unique at the time of development, called the North Lake. The bungalow plots within this premier development launched in 1989/90 during the recession, were initially sold at RM10 psf. Today, current prices of RM250 psf are experienced, which equates to an annual growth of about 21%.
The bungalow plots are designed around the golf course with a limited number of only 200 plots. The graph shows the capital appreciation enjoyed by this development over the last 17 years.
The developer’s philosophy is creating value to the customer through continuous enhancement, beautification and maintenance to ensure continued sustainability and capital appreciation.
In 2003, the second component, the South Lakes, was launched with initial sale prices of RM90 psf, which have now escalated to RM140 to RM150 psf in today’s market.
Another successful component is the serviced apartment development comprising 900 units within 5 blocks designed in a unique setting with a water canal and attractive rooftops. These were initially sold at RM280 psf appreciating to RM430 psf and currently being sold at RM700 psf on a fully furnished basis.
These achieved sales prices are unheard of in the locality. Due to the market positioning, branding and potential value enhancement, these projects have attracted purchasers who believe in the development. The development’s success is also a result of its good accessibility.
To date, after nearly 20 years of development, 70% of the total area has been developed and because the developer is conscious of supply and demand factors, every single component is thoroughly thought out and planned prior to implementation. JLW has provided advisory services to the developer to ensure that the components of development planned are well received by the market and drive sustainable growth, which investors are benefiting from.
The original land value of this place has increased from RM1 psf to in excess of RM300 psf.
Health and Wellness
Tan Sri Lee Kim Yew, the founder of Country Heights Health Tourism, believes in the importance of prevention and early detection rather than treatment. Hence, Golden Horses Health Sanctuary and Mines TCM Wellness are set up to promote health and wellness among the public.[6]
Golden Horses Health Sanctuary is the first health screening center, located at the Palace of the Golden Horses Hotel. The Sanctuary provides premium health screening services to their members, including the finest preventive medical check-up and early detection.
Mines TCM Wellness is a traditional Chinese and complementary health care center which it located at the Mines Wellness Hotel. The health care center employed with qualified and certified Chinese physician, tuinalogist, reflexologist and herbalogist. Also, health Qi Gong| Qi Gong]] exercise is provided to the guests at a green Garden Lawn with a pleasant hotel synergy which it designed specially by a team of experienced personal and service staff.
Economic Transformation Programme
The transformation of MINES Resort City to MINES Wellness City project is part of the government’s Economic Transformation Plan (ETP) which is spearheaded by PEMANDU (Performance Management and Delivery Unit), under the Prime Minister’s Department. The company transform the city to an integrated health and wellness city, which will serve as a one-stop destination for both modern and complementary medicine. By the year 2020, the City is envisioned to be a RM 5.5 billion development, playing a central role in tourism and becoming the foremost wellness destination in the country.[7]
References
- ^ "ETP in overdrive with 19 developments worth RM67 billion". ETP Official Website. http://etp.pemandu.gov.my/News_-%E2%97%98-_Events-@-ETP_in_overdrive_with_19_developments_worth_RM67_billion.aspx. Retrieved 14 May 2011.
- ^ "Mines Wellness City". Country Heights Holdings Berhad Official Website. http://www.countryheights.com.my/mrc.php. Retrieved 14 May 2011.
- ^ The Scribe A Kadir Jasin (Malay). Retrieved on August 28, 2008
- ^ "History of Country Heights Holdings Berhad". Country Heights Holdings Berhad Official Website. http://www.countryheights.com.my/history.php. Retrieved 12 May 2010.
- ^ "About The Mines". The Mines Official Website. http://www.the-mines.com.my/about-us/. Retrieved 10 May 2010.
- ^ "The Founder of GHHS". GHHS Website. http://www.ghhs.com.my/. Retrieved 7 March 2011.
- ^ "Project Announced on 11 Jan 2011". ETP Official Website. http://etp.pemandu.gov.my/Progress_Update-@-Mines_Wellness_City.aspx. Retrieved 12 Jan 2011.
External links
Categories:- Geography of Selangor
- Shopping malls in Selangor
- Hotels in Malaysia
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