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Manila Bulletin devider Business devider The Stock Market devider Cebu to rival Manila as SM Prime opens Philippines' largest indoor arena

Cebu to rival Manila as SM Prime opens Philippines' largest indoor arena

Published Feb 24, 2026 11:23 am
The SM Seaside Cebu Arena will accommodate over 25,000 guests and feature multi-level spectator areas, professional-grade sports and entertainment systems, corporate suites, VIP lounges, a range of food and beverage concepts and other lifestyle amenities.
The SM Seaside Cebu Arena will accommodate over 25,000 guests and feature multi-level spectator areas, professional-grade sports and entertainment systems, corporate suites, VIP lounges, a range of food and beverage concepts and other lifestyle amenities.
SM Prime Holdings Inc., the property development arm of the Sy family, is set to open a multipurpose indoor arena in Cebu this June that will surpass the capacity of its flagship venue in Manila as it seeks to capture regional tourism demand.
In a briefing on Tuesday, Feb. 24, SM Prime President and CEO Jeffrey C. Lim said the SM Seaside Cebu Arena, located within the South Coast City integrated estate, is positioned to serve as the primary entertainment hub for the Visayas and Mindanao regions.
Lim said that the venue’s scale and Cebu’s direct international flight connections make it a viable alternative for foreign fans from nearby Asian markets.
“By building a venue of this scale in Cebu, we are strengthening the Visayas as a destination for international events, domestic tourism, and long-term investment,” said Lim.
“SM Seaside Cebu Arena is like a regional positioning as it gives the Visayas and Mindanao audiences to be able to actually access large-scale events without to fly to Manila anymore,” he noted.
Lim added the facility will be the largest of its kind in the province and is designed to attract audiences from Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea, Vietnam, and Japan.
By offering a world-class venue outside of the capital, he said SM Prime intends to eliminate the need for regional fans and international travelers to transit through Manila to attend large-scale performances and sporting events.
The new SM arena will have a seating capacity of 16,000 and a full capacity of approximately 25,000 people. This exceeds the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City's seating capacity of 15,000 and maximum capacity of 20,000. The Cebu project occupies a building footprint of 1.6 hectares and features a total gross floor area of roughly 7.4 hectares.
SM Prime is currently in negotiations with concert promoters, sports federations, and corporate event organizers to secure bookings ahead of the mid-year launch. The facility includes professional-grade entertainment systems, corporate suites, VIP lounges, and various food and beverage amenities. To manage foot traffic, a SkyBridge will connect the arena to the SMX Convention Center Cebu and the SM Seaside City Cebu mall.
The development is part of a broader capital expenditure strategy for the South Coast City estate. Lim noted that Cebu represents the company’s largest investment footprint outside of Metro Manila.
Following the completion of the arena, SM Prime plans to introduce additional convention facilities and new hotel developments by next year to solidify the estate’s position as a fully integrated lifestyle and entertainment destination.
The move follows the success of the SM Mall of Asia Arena, which opened in 2012 and has since hosted major global events including the NBA Global Games and the FIBA Basketball World Cup. SM Prime shares were unchanged in early trading in Manila.

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