The New Araneta

The Mall of Asia Arena near completion
in March 2012

A new Araneta rises near the Manila Bay. The Mall of Asia Arena, the brainchild of SM patriarch Henry Sy, will officially open on May 21, on the night Lady Gaga holds her Born This Way tour. 

The MOA Arena has been in the works since 2010, and the arena's interior was patterned after Atlanta's Philips Arena, complete with plush seating, private luxury boxes and club suites, and accessible facilities such as wi-fi capabilities, state of the art sounds and lights system, and abundance of food kiosks.

The new arena will also play host to both the UAAP and NCAA games, as most of its member schools are situated a few miles from the MOA. The PBA has also entertained talks of holding some games in the new facility. And there are also talks of bringing preseason NBA games to the MOA.

And how about this: the MOA is the closest facility to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, making it easier to hold concerts for international acts due to its close proximity. 

The Mall of Asia Arena is a few walks away from the SM Mall of Asia, and a few minutes' drive from the Bonifacio Global City, Alabang, Makati and Ortigas Central Business Districts.  So if you're a dude from the south, now you will never worry about fuel consumption.

The Smart Araneta Coliseum is arguably one of the most famous facilities in the Philippines. But its reputation as a concerts, sports and events hub may soon be overshadowed by a state-of-the-art arena at the Bay. Sadly, in a few years, we may see the last of the Big Dome, unless drastic changes occur to make it appealing to a younger audience.