Smart Araneta Coliseum undergoes extreme transformation

MANILA, Philippines - The historic Smart Araneta Coliseum is undergoing an ‘extreme transformation’ that will ensure an amazing experience for the droves of fans and customers that troop to its more than 250 shows annually.

Araneta Group chairman Jorge Araneta announced that the extreme top-to-bottom transformation will cost more than a billion pesos and will ‘provide a significantly enhanced experience for customers, athletes, entertainers, fans and partners from the first row to the last.’ Being the busiest venue in the country, the Big Dome’s makeover will be done in stages, and will consider playing seasons and current concerts lined up in its calendar of transformation. Work on the new Green Gate entrance started on March 5 and is scheduled to be finished by April 30.

Among the exciting new things that the new Smart Araneta Coliseum (above, left) will offer are a new parking facility for 1,500 cars, a new grand cathedral ceiling atrium entrance (above, right), an Art Museum, wider concourses, new first-class food and entertainment amenities, improved sightlines, luxurious seating, a dynamic scoreboard, enhanced sound and video systems in HD, a modernized state-of-the-art TicketNet, and a new ultra-exclusive membership club.

In the past 52 years, the Big Dome has been home to unforgettable global events such as the memorable visit of Pope John Paul II, sports spectacles such as the historic Thrilla in Manila and last year’s Ultimate NBA weekend, and almost every illustrious athletic and celebrated performance — from Muhammad Ali to Andrea Bocelli, Nat King Cole, Taylor Swift, Chinese Acrobats and to Disney on Ice.