Smart City concert arena to be built in Pasay

Heads up, concertgoers! The Pasay City LGU, alongside SM Prime Holdings, Inc., is developing a groundbreaking project that will satisfy your live entertainment needs: the Smart City concert arena! 

Watching Concerts Abroad

A 2023 report showed Filipinos were in the top 5 in the Asia-Pacific region for traveling to concerts. This is because, even though we love to watch our favorite artists perform, many big-name acts do not have Manila as a stop. So, we fly out to neighboring countries, such as Singapore or South Korea, and watch there. Not only do we shell out money for a concert ticket, we also pay for air fares, accommodations, and other itineraries we may plan during our stay. 

Limited Logistics

We also watch concerts abroad because our own venues are not logistics-friendly. For example, Ed Sheeran’s and Coldplay’s concerts were recently held at the SMDC Grounds and the Philippine Arena, respectively. Ed’s concert could have been held at the Mall of Asia Arena. However, its limited seats would have deterred the organizers from picking it. As for Coldplay, while the Philippine Arena is massive, there are no hotels or eateries surrounding the area.

A More Spacious Venue

To solve these issues, the city of Pasay and SM included the Smart City concert arena in their development. The arena is expected to house up to 70,000 concertgoers! Can you imagine all the dancing we can do with that much space? For comparison, the MOA Arena can seat up to 20,000 people, while the Philippine Arena can house up to 55,000 spectators. 

Accessibility Unlocked

The arena is also connected to Central Park, the city’s main recreational spot. Not only that, it is stationed near the airport, along with numerous hotels, eateries, and other amenities! So fans can enjoy good food and a good night’s rest in close proximity to their favorite artists. 

There are also plans to connect the train systems around Manila to the arena, as well as set up buses to and from there. So transportation is a breeze, dear concertgoer! 

READ: The SMC NAIA Rehabilitation Project

Once the Smart City concert arena is up and running, we will be on par, or, heck, ahead of our neighbors, when it comes to attracting top-tier performers. Then, we do not need to fly out to watch BTS or Taylor Swift live!