King’s Park Genting Highlands has teamed up with Cornell Academy in Malaysia to sponsor training opportunities for 1,000 students at its upcoming integrated entertainment hub, set to welcome visitors from 2026 to 2028.

This expansive hub will encompass retail outlets, restaurants, hotels, wellness centres, theme parks, and other attractions.

King’s Park Genting Highlands will sponsor training opportunities for 1,000 Cornell Academy’s students at its new entertainment hub when opened

Cornell Academy is an educational institute certified by Universiti Sains Malaysia, Graduate School of Business. It offers a myriad of professional development and skill enhancement courses in the field of business management, hospitality, with more programmes to be revealed soon.

Cornell Academy’s managing director, Darren Yang, said: “As we look ahead, we envision an expansion into diploma programmes covering Food & Beverage, Retail, Business Management, and Entrepreneurship. This holistic approach will underscore a profound understanding of ESG principles, fortifying our commitment in sustainable education.

“The tourism industry is burgeoning, necessitating elevated training and a profound understanding of comprehensive business management, with a keen focus on the nuances of hospitality and delivering exceptional customer service. We aspire to elevate ambitious young talents to new heights in these domains. Our goal is to provide them not only with academic credentials but also a comprehensive understanding and practical experience in the industry, broadening their horizons.”

Sean Chen, executive vice president, King’s Park Development, shared: “The growing importance of possessing industry-relevant skills from the get-go cannot be overstated, as it kickstarts efficiency and productivity upon entry into the workforce.

“We firmly believe that engaging and supporting local development will empower the region’s youth through enhanced educational and job prospects. This sponsorship’s diverse group of recipients will significantly contribute to promoting workforce diversity, fostering an inclusive culture within the industry. Our aspiration in sponsoring these individuals is to witness their transformation into invaluable assets, not only benefitting King’s Park but also enriching the entire industry.”

Course registration will commence in 2025, and are priced at approximately 36,000 ringgit (US$7,605) for a three-year duration, which integrates five days of hands-on training and one full day of classroom education per week. Students are guaranteed job opportunities upon successful course completion with no post-training bonding requirements.

By S Puvaneswary

Malaysia’s HR Resort & Residences has signed an agreement with the iconic Hard Rock brand to open a Hard Rock hotel within King’s Park in Genting Highlands.

HR Hotel & Residences aims to blend the enduring spirit of Hard Rock with the natural beauty of King’s Park, an integrated entertainment hub and the first Central Business District in Genting Highlands located 1,000m above sea level and offers a year-round cool climate.

Hard Rock Genting Highlands Hotel will be the largest Hard Rock hotel in Asia when it opens

The Hard Rock Genting Highlands Hotel, when open, will boast 371 rooms and 630 suites. The hotel will also feature 200m² of retail space, as well as facilities like a heated swimming pool, dining options, Rock Spa, and nightly Rock ‘n’ Roll excitement in the lounge and bar.

The new partnership was announced at an event held on October 14, attended by Hard Rock International’s senior vice president and head of global business development, Todd Hricko, King’s Park’s group CEO, Jayandren Subramanian, and HR Resort & Residences’ chairman, Lim Kim Chai, as well as King’s Park’s executive vice president, Sean Chen.

Chen said: “Our focus is on creating an unforgettable adventure that fuses the best of high-end design with the freewheeling energy of rock ‘n’ roll. Here at King’s Park, the soon-to-be-open Hard Rock Genting Highlands in Malaysia will represent the pinnacle of high-energy fun, luxury, and elegance for solo travellers, groups of friends, and families alike.”

In his address, Hricko remarked: “Here at Hard Rock, our success is predicated on a love of music and is the perfect synthesis of enjoyment and amusement. Our essence lies in developing the exact experiences people seek for, and I wholeheartedly believe that King’s Park, with its abundant options, would irresistibly lure persons to share in joy, savour drinks and culinary delights, and liberally indulge in adventures.”

A new integrated development, King’s Park, valued at 10 billion ringgit (US$2.1 billion) gross development, will be constructed in Genting Highlands, featuring family oriented dining, retail, entertainment, hospitality, medical and wellness as well as residences.

It will be located in the mid hills of Genting Highlands, five kilometres below the peak of Genting Highlands and 33km away from Kuala Lumpur.

King’s Park will feature lifestyle, hospitality, residences, medical and wellness options when complete

Leveraging on the already high tourist arrivals at Genting Highlands, King’s Park Genting Highlands is a mega development in partnership with Yuk Tung Group and the Association for the Promotion of Higher Education in Malaysia.

The development will comprise an integrated entertainment hub that includes a unique blend of living spaces, commercial and recreational offerings and span over 61 hectares of freehold land.

At the grand opening of King’s Park Gallery on July 22, its executive vice president, Sean Chen, said that King’s Park development is poised to become Genting Highland’s first CBD and integrated entertainment hub.

This mega project will be segmented into five phases. The first phase is scheduled to be completed in 2026 and will comprise a commercial centre featuring a two kilometre stretch of pedestrian street shops. The 12 blocks planned will house a total of 360 shops with colonial and vintage architecture. Each retail block unit is held under a freehold strata title and has its own identity and facade design.

Later phases will include hotels with service apartments, two international branded theme parks, a halal hub with halal dining and a Syariah compliant hotel as well as housing units. One international hotel brand that has confirmed its presence is Swissôtel, which will make its Malaysian debut at King’s Park, when it opens in late 2028.

The final phase will be the construction of a wellness and medical centre, expected to be completed in the next eight to 10 years.

Chen added: “We extend a warm invitation to global investors to be part of this remarkable venture. As the project progresses, we anticipate a multitude of businesses, residents and tourists to be drawn to this thriving hub, thus cementing its status as a pulsating heart of an active and exciting region.”