KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 25 — One of Malaysia's largest shopping malls, 1 Utama Shopping Centre, just got bigger with the launch of its impressive sports and entertainment wing, I Utama E yesterday.
The new phase, which cost RM150 million, features two exciting sports attractions which offer world-class indoor extreme sports activities for surfing and sky diving enthusiasts.
Situated on the ground floor, the Double FlowRider flowboarding centre provides an exhilarating wave surfing experience on endless sheets of water flowing at 32 km/h over a composite vinyl surface. It is led and managed by celebrity flowboarding champion Alfian Affandi.
However, if you fancy the thrills of sky diving, you can make a beeline for the RM25 million AirRider which offers exciting and yet safe skydiving experiences. The facility is a collaborative venture with Indoor Skydive Australia Group (ISA Group).
Located on the second floor, this set-up features an all-glass panel circular wind tunnel which creates a cushion of air in a 10-metre high flight chamber, enabling professional and amateur flyers to safely perform aerobatic manoeuvres.
In his speech at the launch of the new phase, 1 Utama Shopping Centre director Tan Sri Teo Chiang Kok said, “The expansion spearheads our goal in positioning the mall as a multisport and entertainment venue in Malaysia by featuring a huge range of attractions for both domestic and international tourists.
“Aside from the two sports attraction launched today, there will be more shops and services unveiled under the second phase of 1 Utama E targetted to open by mid next year,” he added.
With its full completion next year, the new phase will feature a designer landscape and an avant-grade retail space where shoppers can indulge in an eclectic mix of pursuits that include sports, global cuisine, fashion brands, art and culture as well as entertainment.
The price for a ride on the FlowRider starts from RM45 during weekdays and RM55 for weekends/public holidays, while the day pass for unlimited rides costs RM270 (weekdays) and RM330 on weekends/ public holidays.
Alternatively, those wishing for a taste of the indoor skydiving experience, the package for first timers costs RM32 per flight. This includes training, flight suit, helmet, goggles as well as a personalised flight certificate.
