City of Dreams Mediterranean, the first integrated resort in Europe, celebrated its grand opening in Limassol on Tuesday, 11 July with a dazzling gala evening attended by the  President of the Republic Nikos Christodoulides, as well as distinguished guests and collaborative partners.

At the gala event hosted by Lawrence Ho, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Melco Resorts & Entertainment, and Menelaos Shiacolas, Managing Director of CNS Group, Cyprus’ President Nikos Christodoulides officially inaugurated City of Dreams Mediterranean. The integrated resort formally opened its doors to the public on Monday, 10 July.

In a speech during the event, President Nikos Christodoulides said he was honoured to be present at the grand opening of such a visionary project: “A one-of-a-kind integrated casino resort that stands as testament to our commitment for progress and excellence, being – at the same time – a catalyst for economic growth, job creation and the attraction of visitors from all over the world. An emblematic project that is expected to redefine the landscape of our tourism industry, showcasing the ability to transform visions into reality.”

In his address, Lawrence Ho spoke of how he fell in love with the island and its people during a visit 16 years ago: “City of Dreams Mediterranean gives Cyprus a new story to tell.  People who overlooked this island in the past, now have a fresh list of compelling reasons to visit. This resort will attract new premium tourists, year round, reflecting in the economy, and the traditionally seasonal jobs market.”

Addressing President Christodoulides, Mr Ho commented “your support for our investment has been invaluable.  The country’s administration has skilfully guided us on so many levels.  All our successes over the last almost twenty years have been built on partnership.  Partnership with government, partnership with business, and partnership with people.”

“To you all, I would like to say thank you from myself, and every one of my colleagues at Melco.  I hope that the partnerships we’ve established here will encourage other investors to follow our lead.”

Menelaos Shiacolas said it was truly a momentous day for City of Dreams Mediterranean, a dream that became reality in eight years: “This is one of those rare cases where the name of the property truly encapsulates so much of the history, the present, and the future. The result, we believe, is truly a City of Dreams, a resort that Cyprus, as a tourist destination, can be proud of, a resort that elevates the country to a different level.”

Following a celebratory ribbon cutting and toasting ceremony hosted at City of Dreams Mediterranean’s outdoor event lawn, guests were treated to musical performances by The Cyprus Symphony Orchestra and Greek singer-songwriter Ms. Helena Paparizou. The brilliant summer night’s opening event celebrations concluded with an exciting fireworks display.

As Europe’s largest and premier integrated resort, City of Dreams Mediterranean aspires to redefine Cyprus as a year-round destination for premium tourism and become a reference point in the region and beyond with world-class hospitality and entertainment, as well as being a hub for international business and conference tourism.

City of Dreams Mediterranean is Europe’s first integrated resort and the largest premier integrated destination resort in the region. It features a fourteen-storey luxury hotel with 500 rooms and suites, over 8,000sqm of MICE space, an outdoor amphitheatre, a family adventure park, and a variety of fine dining outlets and luxury retail. Its interior design is based on Melco’s international luxury standards, customised for the Cyprus integrated resort, while the exterior design features distinct Mediterranean influences.

With sustainability at its core, City of Dreams Mediterranean is the first development in Cyprus to achieve a BREEAM Excellent rating for its sustainability strategy at its design stage. Recently, City of Dreams Mediterranean was also honoured by The European Property Awards 2023 for achievements in three categories, including Best Hotel Architecture Europe, Best Sustainable Commercial Development Europe and Best New Hotel Construction & Design Cyprus.