KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 1): Tropicana Corp Bhd (KL:TROP) broke ground for the RM34 billion, 163-acre Lido Waterfront Boulevard integrated mixed-use development on Wednesday (Oct 30) with the construction of the Skypark Kepler luxury serviced apartment, the project's first phase.

The mega project will be developed on 163 acres of reclaimed land located along Johor city centre's waterfront fronting Singapore.

Tropicana Corp chief executive officer Ong Chou Wen said in a press statement on Wednesday, “Johor is experiencing a phase of accelerated growth and Tropicana aims to tap into this huge potential and transform Lido Waterfront Boulevard into a dynamic metropolis of the southern region. Lido is one of our most luxurious projects in Johor and this impressive masterplan will be the new pulse of Johor Bahru city centre with its close proximity to the [upcoming RTS Link].”

Lido Waterfront Boulevard will comprise seven key components, which are residential, commercial, wellness, education, hospitality, recreational and lifestyle. Ong added that the masterplan will have a 2.5km coastal boardwalk, a 32-acre green park and a cultural centre.

As for Skypark Kepler, the joint development by Tropicana and Singapore-based Banyan Group will occupy a four-acre freehold land and have a total of 856 units that spreads across two 54-storey towers. The units will have built-ups ranging from 667 to 2,000 sq ft.

According to Ong, Skypark Kepler will have green features such as electric vehicle charging stations, solar panels, rainwater harvesting system and 5G infrastructures as part of the company’s environmental, social and governance commitment.

Tropicana currently holds over 728 acres of land in Johor and has unbilled sales of RM2.3 billion. The statement added that the developer is looking for strategic partners to jointly develop the land parcels.