SM eyes global events with Cebu arena

CEBU CITY — SM Prime Holdings Inc. is counting on its newly opened SM Seaside Cebu Arena to transform Cebu into a premier destination for international concerts, sporting events and business conventions, betting that the Visayas can attract more local and foreign visitors beyond Metro Manila.

Speaking at the arena’s launch on Thursday, Hans Sy, chairman of the Executive Committee of SM Prime Holdings, said the company aims to use the new venue to bring world-class performers and major international sporting competitions to Cebu, boosting tourism and economic activity in the region.

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“Now we have two venues and that gives us an advantage in convincing more international acts to come,” Sy said, referring to the SM Seaside Cebu Arena and the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.

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Sy revealed that SM had hoped to bring international pop star Bruno Mars to Cebu, but the singer had already begun his world tour.

“But I promise you, we will convince him to come here,” he said.

Sy added that the company is also pursuing other internationally renowned performers with Filipino roots, saying their appearances would give Filipinos “something to be proud of.”

Beyond entertainment, Sy said the arena is expected to become a catalyst for sports tourism, a market he believes the Philippines has yet to fully capitalize on.

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“Sports tourism is something we have missed out on and that’s one of the areas we will fully support,” he said.

Sy disclosed that discussions are underway to host major international competitions, including the FIVB Women’s Volleyball World Championship and other global sporting events, with Cebu being considered as a venue for championship matches.

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Designed by global architecture firm Arquitectonica, the SM Seaside Cebu Arena spans more than seven hectares and can accommodate up to 25,000 spectators, making it the largest indoor arena in the Visayas.

The venue also features Cebu’s largest center-hung video display and is designed to host concerts, sporting events, family entertainment shows, electronic dance music festivals, corporate events, circus productions and motorsports exhibitions.

According to Sy, the arena incorporates several improvements over the SM Mall of Asia Arena, including a larger seating capacity, gentler seating angles for better sightlines and a dedicated practice facility behind the main court for sporting events.

The arena serves as the centerpiece of SM’s integrated mixed-use development in Cebu, which also includes a convention center and two hotels now under construction.

Chico Sy, president of SM Engineering, Design and Development Corp., said the convention center is on track for completion by year-end, with its first events expected in the first quarter of next year. Two hotels—Park Inn by Radisson and Radisson Cebu—are scheduled to open in the first half of 2028.

The entire complex represents an investment of about P8 billion, he said.

Chico Sy said the integrated development is designed to strengthen Cebu’s meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions industry by providing accommodations across different price points.

“We wanted to give the market more options,” he said.

He also expressed confidence that Cebu can attract not only domestic tourists but also international visitors traveling for concerts and sporting events.

“Imagine a K-pop concert in Cebu,” he said.

“People from Korea, Indonesia and Singapore will consider coming because we have a beautiful venue here and you have a beautiful island. Combining a concert with the island experience creates a new opportunity for Cebu to deliver global tourism through global entertainment,” he added.

Hans Sy said the arena reflects a long-term vision for Cebu that began two decades ago, inspired by the late Henry Sy Sr.’s strong belief in the province’s growth potential.

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“My father always believed in Cebu. I simply followed his vision,” he said. INQ