POTATO ON THE GO:
Seeing our favorite concert performers live on stage or witnessing spectacular events is something very dear to our heart. If we know something special is in the offing, we make sure that we allocate money for it. But saving is just a quarter of the sacrifice we face. Come event time, when we are excited to party with the rest of the crowd, we are often faced with tons of challenges, some may be small, but when put together, don't really make sense. Poor parking, uncomfortable ventilation, mediocre seats, limited choices of good food, confusing audience flow... they are just some of the things we endure to see the show we saved up for. Most of the time, seeing our favorite performers is enough and we just accepted the fact that the struggle is part of the package. But while we spent for it, don't you think we deserve much better?
Then folks, worry no more. There's a new events or concert hall that will will rise and sweep the nation! It's much bigger, it's more advanced, it's highly sophisticated, and above all, it's audience and organizer friendly!!! And you don't have to go elsewhere to get there as the place is just right here in Metro Manila... it's the new Mall of Asia (MOA) Arena!!!
MOA Arena, the first of its kind in South East Asia, is destined to be premier events venue in the Philippines and one of Asia's premiere entertainment destinations. Strategically situated with the Mall of Asia complex, MOA Arena boasts of cutting edge facilities, VIP-level services and amenities, all the comforts of an arena-type venue and a vast offering of food and merchandise. The Mall of Asia Arena is truly an ICON of entertainment.
Edgar Tejerero, West Avenue Theatres Corporation Senior Vice President said that the Mall of Asia Arena is changing the game and is elevating the brand of entertainment in the Philippines. He also mentioned that the design, which was led by the Sy family, really veered away from the usual structures of arena. MOA Arena, which was first constructed in 2010 and currently costs about PhP 3.6 billion, is made out of glass and has an eye shaped facade -- which symbolizes that every entertainment is a feast for the eye.
The MOA Arena's land area is an astounding 64,085 square meters and it has a full seating capacity of 20,000, the biggest entertainment venue in the Philippines to date. With 6 building levels, 5 of which are for seats, the venue is accompanied with 1,400 parking slots at the MOA Annex Carpark Building, which is connected to the MOA Arena. And if that's not enough, customers, who may have started shopping at SM Mall of Asia, may also park at the mall, and that as well is connected to concert venue!
MOA Arena invested on first-class and high-tech sound proofing, floorings provided by Robins Inc., Spalding basketball goals, Daktronics electronic scoreboard which is just like what NBA is using and LED ribbon boards. The floor is also convertible for badminton, futsal, tennis and volleyball games!
Participants of sporting events will also be pleased to know that the Mall of Asia Arena provided four dug outs (instead of the usual 2 of other venues) so that when two teams are competing, the next two will also have a place inside the venue. Hot and cold showers as well as locker rooms are also installed. How's that for our hardworking athletes right? :)
Aside from that, MOA Arena also have its own police desk, clinic and standby ambulance. And if you still don't feel any safer yet, The Arena also installed CCTV everywhere and provided its own dangerous and explosives room as security is a primary consideration of the management. Restroom ratio is 1:29, so in every floor, eight comfort rooms are built, four for men and another four for women. And if you say it may be a long walk from the exit points, please hold your breath first. There are more than 20 doors per floor and additional six exit points were also put in place. But do I hear complain from smokers? Well, MOA doesn't endorse smoking but if you really can't help it, there are 16 well designed smoking lounges inside the venue so you don't have to go out while the event is happening. There is also a convenient and accessible ticketing system via SM Tickets' ticket booths onsite, SM Cinema brances and online ticket purchase.
How about food, you may ask? MOA Arena made sure that it won't just be an entertainment venue but a food destination as well. A special menu from MOA Arena's partner establishments will be served exclusively at the venue except for Starbucks and Krispy Kreme! The second floor will be catered by The Manila Hotel Group while the third floor will be by Discovery Suites. But for those who prefer fast food, don't worry. There's also a Hawker's Alley type of foodcourt where cocktail tables are set-up! These food establishments will be open two hours before the opening of the show at The Arena so that you really will have the time to enjoy your food. And right after the show, when you are still giggling on what you've watched and want talk it with your friends, you still can hangout inside The Arena as these restos and food court will still be open!
The press won't find it hard to do their job at the location as MOA Arena built a press box where sporting events can be covered as well as a Meet and Greet Room where press conferences and one-on-one or small group interviews can be held. MOA Arena also provided a plug-and-play set-up to provide better accessibility and mobility for broadcasting.
Organizers on the other hand won't be too stressed mounting an event as a lot of amenities have been added to cater to their needs. There is a promoters' lounge, tech rooms and mess halls so that the production crew would have a nice decent place to eat meals and not just do it in stairs, floors etc. Ingress and egress will also be a lot easier as trucks can even go inside the venue! More than that, MOA Arena is not just a venue provider, it can also help the organizers promote the show through the SM Cinema network, SM Supermalls and Events Guide! The Arena is also capable of live beaming the event to the various SM Cinema outlets spread all throughout the country.
Another first in MOA Arena is the Corporate Suites. These are private rooms that can accommodate 17 to 26 people and with its own viewing access to the show featured in The Arena. It has its own restroom, minibar, sofas and a private gallery with cinema seats! Mr. Tejerero said that they have 31 units for lease on a long-term basis called Premiere Suites and they have another 10 on a per event basis called Event Suites. Owners will have one season pass for all the shows featured in MOA Arena, and they can share this with their guests! If there's no concert or event, they can still make use of MOA Arena for meetings and other corporate functions. The suites can be leased for 1 to 5 years depending on the company's preference and would cost from PhP 9 to 12 million. Mr. Tejerero added that this is the first in South East Asia and its similar counter part is in the United States! But unlike suites that are usually situated at the highest level of the venue, MOA Arena's Corporate Suites are conveniently located right above the lower box section for better viewing! Of the 31 Corporate Suites, 24 have already been leased out and the remaining seven are on wait list already.
Mr. Tejerero added, “Unlike other venues wherein upper box and general admission would take 60 percent of the seating capacity, we reverse the seating ratio and we give more priority to patron and lower box sections in the MOA Arena’s case.”
Will all the world-class amenities I just mentioned, you may ask, who then are performing in MOA Arena? Hold on to your seats. MOA Arena is bringing you Lady Gaga on May 21 and New Kids on the Block - BackStreet Boys on June 3! It will also be the new home of the UAAP and NCAA, as well as Cirque de Soleil! There's a lot more in store for the year which you would think impossible of happening in the Philippines! But what you really should wait for is the grand launch of MOA Arena on June 16 where 12 global and first-class Filipino artists will be collaborating and performing together. This has been the vision of Henry Sy Sr., to provide world-class Filipino artists with a home, with a venue that deserve their first class talent, an equally world-class venue. And that's the Mall of Asia Arena!
I can't wait to see this spectacular unfold right before my eyes.
To get updates about MOA Arena and its upcoming shows, please follow @tatak_digitista on Twitter or like www.facebook.com/digitista.
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