SINGAPORE - Soccer legend Pele would lend his name to a stadium and run a sports academy  -- here if Las Vegas-based Eighth Wonder wins its bid to build and operate Singapore's second casino-resort, the company said Monday.

If it wins the contract, expected to be awarded next month, Eighth Wonder will build a 5,000-seat Pele Stadium, surrounded by an integrated hotel, and a Pele Sports Academy, the company said in a statement.

The statement quoted Pele as saying he was humbled to have a stadium in Singapore named after him.

"I am committed to being active in Singapore's sporting life and want to share my experiences with the youth of Singapore and of the region," he said.

Pele, renowned as one of soccer's all-time best, helped Brazil win World Cups in 1958, 1962 and 1970.

Singapore legalized casino gaming last year and said it would allow two casino resorts to be built as part of ambitious plans to double visitor arrivals to 17 million by 2015.The first was awarded in May to Las Vegas Sands Corp., which plans to open its $3.6 billion casino resort by July 2009.

The other competitors for the second resort, on Sentosa Island, are Malaysia's Genting International PLC and Star Cruises Ltd., with Universal Studios as a non-equity partner; and Kerzner International Ltd. and Singapore's CapitaLand Ltd.