AusLeisure

The expected sell-out crowd of more than 30,000 at the Opening Ceremony for the 28th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games at the Singapore Sports Hub on 5th June are set to witness a three-hour spectacle featuring the largest projection system used in any sporting event to date.

The floor of Singapore’s National Stadium will be transformed into a massive screen, courtesy of 160 high-definition projectors. In comparison, the unforgettable 2008 Beijing Olympics opening ceremony featured 146 such projectors while Singapore's National Day Parade typically showcases around 60.

SEA Games 2015 Opening and Closing Ceremonies Technical Director Kenny Wong explains “we are very aware that people want to see something they have not seen before - and we believe that will be the case here.

"There will be many 'wow' moments but at the end of the day, we also want spectators to feel touched in a way."

The crowd, including the millions of television viewers across South East Asia, will also be entertained by a host of flying performers and props, including a 20 metre-long dragon that will ‘fly just below the venue's domed roof.

Together with the 5,000 performers and volunteers, the spectators will transform the stadium into a kaleidoscope of colours and pageantry to launch the 28th SEA Games.

Hosts for the first time since 1993, Singapore will be welcoming more than 7,000 athletes and officials across 36 sports for the region's biggest multi-sport event in the Republic's Golden Jubilee year.

Its scale will surpass the 2010 Youth Olympic Games, which involved around 5,000 athletes and officials across 26 sports.

The 28th SEA Games Steering Committee has also being acknowledged for keeping costs within its S$324.5 million budget with initial sponsorship targets of S$50 million having been exceeded.

Sport Singapore’s Strategic Development and Marketing Director Toh Boon Yi, told media last week “we're now in a … comfortable position because of the sponsorship amount we've raised.

"As in all projects, it's important to have good financial discipline and framework, and we've applied all these to the running of the SEA Games."

Singapore spent close to S$400 million on the 2010 Youth Olympics in 2010, more than three times initial budget figures.

The 28th SEA Games run from 5th to 16th June.

For more information on the SEA Games go to www.seagames2015.com

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