S'pore-listed Genting in talks to build hotel-paper

SINGAPORE, Jan 21 (Reuters) - Singapore-listed Genting International , a unit of Malaysian casino operator Genting Bhd , is in talks to build a S$200 million ($139 million) hotel in the city-state, the Business Times newspaper said on Monday.

The hotel will be located within an upcoming sports complex, which will be built by a consortium led by a unit of France's Bouygues Construction , Dragages Singapore, for S$1.87 billion, the paper said.

"We are in discussion with Genting International to invest in a hotel in the Sports Hub," Dragages managing director Ludwig Reichhold was quoted as saying in the paper.

Genting International is also building a casino on Singapore's resort island of Sentosa for nearly S$6 billion, about S$800 million above its inital budget, due mainly to higher construction expenses.

Singapore's construction sector is enjoying an upswing amid a spate of huge building projects including a new financial centre, two casino resorts, and a subway line. Many apartments on the island are also being torn down to make way for taller and more densely built developments.