Ayala Center to open "Active Zone" by third quarter

CEBU, Philippines – After the opening of the multi-million expansion “The Terraces”, Ayala Center Cebu gears up to open its first “Active Zone, by the third quarter of this year.

ACC division head Joy Polloso said the mall will be converting the two-level Ayala Entertainment Center, into an Active Zone that can accommodate around 20 tenants selling sports-related gears, equipments, and ready-to-wear items.

The facility is currently undergoing construction and will be completed by the third quarter of this year.

In 2008, ACC posted 10 percent growth of its total revenue last year, contributing to a “still” dynamic retail market in the metropolis.

“The year ended on an even positive note with the grand opening of The Terraces. This brought additional 8,500 square meters of leasable area that offers many first in Cebu such as popular restaurants, coffee shops and a wellness zone,” said Cebu Holdings Inc. (CHI) president Francis O. Monera.

Monera said aside from the active Cebuano shoppers and diners that boosted the growth of the shopping and leisure/entertainment mall, he said the positioning of ACC as a tourist destination also attracted increasing number of domestic visitors from all over the country, especially from neighboring provinces, to experience the sophisticated shopping and entertainment environment.

Monera said the strong presence of the Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) here, which provided high-paying jobs, also sustained the good performance of the entire retail arm operation CHI last year, amid the fragile economic landscape.

He said the influx of IT and BPO workers in Cebu that have high disposable income have helped the entire retail industry cope with the projected weak retail demand which started last year.

“Ayala Center Cebu is positioned to be the lifestyle icon in Cebu. With this, our focus is not to compete with other malls but to further work on strengthening our position by refining our brand and introducing trailblazing concepts to the market,” Tongco added.

Meanwhile, because of the volatile economic landscape threat, CHI is holding off its specific schedule to start the development of South Surface Parking, the area fronting the Rustan’s Supermarket, now being utilized as car park.

The South Surface Parking is part of CHI’s super-block within the Cebu Business Park.

CHI will be allocating another budget for the South Surface Parking development plan, additional to the almost P1 billion budget spent in the Annex Building and The Terraces projects. — Ehda Dagooc