Mla Jockey Club to put up football complex in Carmona business park

MANILA, Philippines - Horse racing operator Manila Jockey Club Inc. (MJC), controlled by the Reyno family, will put up a football complex as part of the redevelopment of its business park south of Metro Manila.

In a regulatory filing, MJC said it signed a memorandum of agreement with the Philippine Football Federation Inc. (PFF) “to jointly develop a football complex on a portion of MJC’s San Lazaro Leisure and Business Park (SLLBP) in Carmona, Cavite.”

“This is consonant with MJC’s overall plan to develop SLLBP into a leisure, gaming and entertainment hub,” the firm said.

The football complex will consist of a pitch built under Federacion Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) two-star international standards, a training center and other football support facilities, MJC said.

The football complex is targeted to host national and international matches and friendlies sanctioned by the FIFA, ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) and Asian Football Confederation (AFC).

PFF, as a regular member of FIFA, AFF, AFC and the Philippine Olympic Committee, is in charge of the governance, development and promotion of football in the Philippines. It is also the sole controlling body of all provincial football associations.

In 2012, MJC assigned a P600-million portion of the San Lazaro Tourism and Business Park in Manila to affiliate MJC Investment Corp., which will build a hotel in line with tourism prospects in the metro.

MJC earlier announced a P15-billion investment until 2022 to develop three township projects with a combined area of 300 hectares.

MJC was incorporated in March 1937 to operate and maintain a racetrack and conduct horse races.