滨海湾金沙博彩度假村的完美泳池

　　对于来这里游泳的人来说，游得太靠边上绝对是种噩梦般的经历。

　　但同时这位游泳者又是幸运的，因为他一边游泳，一边还可以在新加坡55层的高楼上鸟瞰美景。

　　耗资40亿英镑建成的新加坡滨海湾金沙（Marina Bay Sands ）旅游度假村于昨日对外开放，其最引人注目的部分是露天平台上一座150米长的游泳池，这一长度是奥运会游泳池的三倍。

　　切勿俯视：在滨海湾金沙酒店55层高的塔楼顶端，一位客人正在空中花园巨大的泳池中游泳。

　　超越极限：这个游泳池长150米，是奥运会游泳池长度的三倍。

　　侧面俯瞰：艺术效果图中所展示的滨海湾金沙酒店塔楼的空中花园以及巨大的游泳池。

　　泳池的特殊设计让水体看起来如同延伸至视野的边际，但实际上，泳池的边缘被设计成在水平面之下的几厘米处，溢出的水会流到下方的一个集水池中，再被泵回泳池内。

　　据说这种设计灵感来源于印度尼西亚巴厘岛上的水稻梯田。

　　这种阶梯状的设计思路在类似于滨海湾金沙酒店这样奢华度假场所中颇为常见。

　　“滨海湾金沙将成为新加坡旅游业爆炸式发展的支点，”博彩业大亨谢尔登·阿德尔森在当天的开幕庆典上说，他是该度假村的母公司——拉斯维加斯金沙集团的主席。

　　度假村横跨海湾，据设计师莫舍·萨夫迪（Moshe Safdie）介绍说，三座塔楼是根据一副牌的形状来设计的

　　开幕庆典上，一位跳伞者依靠降落伞飞越了新加坡摩天观景轮和滨海湾金沙博彩度假村

　　不可思议：开幕式当天，几支接力队伍在其中的一座塔楼上比赛攀登，为庆典助兴；下图，一对新婚夫妇正在度假村购物中心的运河里荡舟

　　这座高耸入云的巨型酒店拥有2560个单间和套房，顶级名厨掌勺的餐厅、购物区和影院应有尽有，另外酒店里还有一所博物馆、一家赌场和一座水晶亭。

　　整个度假村拟雇用10000名员工，其每年的运营收益约为4800万英镑。在度假村中，赌场的入场费是每天50英镑，但从两个月的试运行阶段来看，每天进入赌场的人数平均都有2.5万。

　　滨海湾金沙度假村的董事长兼CEO托马斯·阿拉西表示，他希望度假村每天能吸引7万名参观者，一年下来，总参观人数预计会达到不可思议的1800万。

　　该度假村是由建筑大师莫舍·萨夫迪设计完成的，他表示自己是基于一副牌的形状完成设计的。

　　吸金机器：上图，赌场的入口，虽然入场费将近50英镑，但每天还是吸引了2.5万的游客前来；下图，一名男子正在俯视塔楼里的钢网艺术构造

　　滨海湾金沙度假村本该在2009年就开张了，但由于劳工和材料的短缺，再加上全球金融危机导致的资金问题，使得开张日期一拖再拖。

　　昨晚，著名歌手戴安娜·罗斯在度假村的大宴会厅为2500名特约嘉宾进行了表演；稍早些时候歌手凯利·罗兰也在此举办了一场户外音乐会。

　　开幕庆典上还有一场惊心动魄的接力表演，共有七只队伍参加，每支队伍三人，他们依次攀登三座塔楼，再横跨340米长的金沙空中花园（即泳池所在位置）到达终点线。

　　译文

　　He'll definitely want to make sure he doesn't swim too close to the edge.

　　This man is the first lap swimmer in the world to enjoy such a view - 55 stories over the city of Singapore.

　　The ?4billion Marina Bay Sands tourism development opened in the city yesterday, and the 150-metre long pool - three times the length of an Olympic swimming pool - was a highlight.

　　Don't look down: A guest swims in the infinity pool of the Skypark that tops the Marina Bay Sands hotel towers - 55 stories over the city of Singapore yesterday

　　To infinity… and beyond! The pool stretches 150 metres, three times the length of an Olympic swimming pool

　　The view over the side: An artist's impression shows the Skypark that tops the Marina Bay Sands hotel towers, including the infinity pool

　　Infinity pools are designed to make it seem as though the water extends to the horizon. In reality, the edge of the pool is usually about an inch below the water level. The water therefore spills over the edge into a catchment below, and is then pumped back into the pool.

　　The concept is said to have been inspired by the terraced rice paddies in Bali, Indonesia.

　　They are often seen in luxury resorts such as the Marina Bay Sands.

　　'In Singapore, Marina Bay Sands will be the pivot point in which tourism here is going to explode,' gaming tycoon Sheldon Adelson, chairman of Las Vegas Sands Corp, the parent company of the resort, said at its opening celebration yesterday.

　　The resort from across the bay. The three towers were based on a deck of cards, according to designer Moshe Safdie

　　A skydiver parachutes pass the Singapore Flyer and Marina Bay Sands casino resort as part of the venue's opening celebrations yesterday

　　Extreme: Left, relay teams scale one of the towers in a race commemorating the opening yesterday. Right, a newly-wed couple enjoy a canal ride inside the resort's shopping centre

　　The enormous hotel, which dominates the Singapore skyline, has 2,560 rooms and suites, a fleet of celebrity chef restaurants, shopping areas, theatres, a museum, a casino and a crystal pavilion.

　　The resort is set to employ 10,000 people directly and generate up to ?48million each year. Entrance to the casino alone is nearly ?50 a day - but an average of 25,000 people have visited the casino daily since its initial phased opening two months ago.

　　Thomas Arasi, president and chief executive officer of the resort, said he expects to attract an astonishing 70,000 visitors a day, 18 million a year.

　　The resort was designed by Moshe Safdie, who said he based it on a deck of cards.

　　Money-maker: Left, the entrance to the casino, which costs nearly ?50 to get in and is attracting 25,000 visitors each day. Right, a man looks through a steel web art structure in one of the towers

　　It was due to open in 2009, but was delayed thanks to labour and material shortages, and funding problems due to the global financial crisis.

　　Last night, singing legend Diana Ross performed for 2,500 VIPs in the resort's Grand Ballroom. Singer Kelly Rowland also headlined an outdoor concert there yesterday.

　　The opening celebrations also featured a death-defying relay. Seven teams of three participants each scaled the three towers in succession before sprinting across the 340-metre long Sands SkyPark, where the infinity pool is located, to the finish line.