Bidders received a draft ``request for proposals'' in July, giving them an insight into what Singapore has planned for the two casino resort sites, Lim said. Feedback has been received from bidders, including those who met Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong during his trip to Las Vegas two months ago.

``We want to be able to come out with a good request for proposals that addresses the concerns in a comprehensive and proper way, and yet at the same time, not undermining our overall objective,'' Lim told reporters today. ``Some of the issues are quite complex. There are governmental procedures that have to be followed. So we have to follow government procedure, which is why we are taking a longer time.''

Lee, who took office in August last year, lifted the four- decade ban on casinos in April to create a ``buzz'' to the city- state after its share of Asia's tourism market fell. The decision was opposed by some groups, such as Focus on the Family in Singapore, which said it could exacerbate social problems such as loan-sharking and prostitution.

Singapore is forecasting its visitor arrivals to double and tourism revenue to triple in the next decade. The two casino resorts are expected to add as many as 35,000 jobs, Lee said.

``Generally, we're still very optimistic over the long-term prospects of the casinos, not just for the winning consortiums,'' said Nicholas Yeo, an investment manager at Aberdeen Asset Management in Singapore, which oversees about $12 billion in assets. ``The casino will have multiplying effect on other sectors, such as hotels and travel.''

`Very Committed'

The Singapore tourism chief said he's ``very, very committed'' to the November deadline, adding that it's not in the city-state's interest to delay it further. The request for proposal for a downtown, bayfront site will be released at the November, while the rules for the location at the southern island of Sentosa will be released in the first quarter of 2006.

Bidding details of the casino resorts were first planned to be released in the second quarter. The release of the details was subsequently delayed to as early as this week. Among the issues raised is land, Singapore National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan said today. He didn't give more details.

Cheung Kong Holdings Ltd, Keppel Land Ltd and Hongkong Land Holdings Ltd won the top bid of S$1.8 billion (US$1.1 billion) in a government land auction for a bayfront downtown site close to the location for the casino resort. Keppel Land has teamed up with Harrah's Entertainment Inc, the biggest US gaming company, to bid for both Singapore casino sites.

Other issues that casino operators raised include the S$100 daily levy the government imposed on its citizens and permanent residents going to the gaming resorts to prevent problem gambling. Terrence Lanni, chief executive of MGM Mirage, which is bidding for the downtown site, said in an interview on Sept. 13 that ``it would be a logistical nightmare'' to have to register guests as they arrive, to curb money laundering.

Gaming Act?

The government would probably have to address these issues and draft a gaming act to regulate the two casino resorts before it can release the request for proposals, said Sean Monaghan, an analyst at Merrill Lynch in Singapore.

``It would be far better to delay it two months than change it half way through,'' he said.

Among companies that expressed interest, Harrah's hired Daniel Libeskind, master planner of the Freedom Tower at Ground Zero in New York City, as the architect for one of its Singapore proposals.

Kerzner International Ltd, operator of the Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas, has promised an ``iconic'' design, while Las Vegas Sands, the world's biggest casino-hotel operator by value, said it teamed up with Clear Channel Communications Inc to bring in Broadway musicals such as ``The Lion King'' and ``The Producers'' or performers such as Madonna and the Rolling Stones to the Singapore resort.

Genting Bhd, Asia's biggest public trade casino operator, has teamed up with Universal Studios for a theme park at the Sentosa site. It also plans to shift its Genting International Plc unit to the main board of the Singapore exchange to draw more investors.

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