Concert economy goes to Cebu

Notes on the beat

CEBU, — All roads lead to the newly opened SM Seaside Cebu Arena today, July 11, as the world-famous BINI, the Nation’s Girl Group, takes the Queen City of the South by storm for the arena’s opening salvo.

Some taxi drivers interviewed by The STAR, aware of the performance by the famed girl band, are excited that there will be more than the usual number of passengers who will be hailing cabs before and after the concert.

“For sure, there will be a lot of people. We will have lots of passengers,” said a Green GSM driver.

SM Seaside Cebu Arena, launched by SM Prime Holdings on Thursday afternoon, marks the first world-class concert and events venue of its kind outside Luzon.

At the trade launch, SM Prime president Jeffrey Lim said prospects are bright as the venue is expected to attract concertgoers from the Visayas and Mindanao.

For many years, Luzon was the default stage for the country’s largest and most iconic productions.

Here in Cebu, that story begins to change.

“After years of planning and construction, we can finally tell the world that the Queen City of the South is ready to become a major stop for concerts, sports and touring productions,” Lim said.

BINI’s performance here today, its Signals World Tour, marks the first event following the launch. Other upcoming shows include IV of Spades, TJ Monterde and KZ Tandingan, Hillsong Worship and LANY.

Steven Tan, president of SM Malls, said BINI is proudly Filipino, has become even more well-known following its successful performance at Coachella and is also among the country’s tourism ambassadors.

“So we’re very excited and proud to have them as our opening salvo,” he told The STAR in a chance interview.

SM Prime is once again betting on the right business.

After all, the concert economy is going strong not just in the Philippines but also in the international scene.

As Lim said, “Across the globe, live events have become powerful expressions of human connection. For a few hours, thousands of strangers become one crowd, bound by a common passion and a shared memory.”

SM Prime also sees the arena generating economic opportunities for local entrepreneurs and nearby communities.

With an investment of P7 billion, SM Seaside Cebu Arena was designed by global architecture firm Arquitectonica and spans more than seven hectares of gross floor area.

Its exterior has wave-shaped glass windows, echoing the signature façade of SM Mall of Asia Arena.

The venue has 30 luxury premier suites located just above the VIP sections, with each suite good for 13 to 31 guests.

At the opening, guests were impressed with the gleaming and spacious venue.

There in the crowd, I realized how much the concert-going experience has changed, in stark contrast to the concert scene of my era.

As a batang ‘90s, I grew up when live music in Manila was dominated by local acts and intimate venues like Club Dredd along EDSA, 70s Bistro in Quezon City and Mayric’s in Manila — dark, hot and cramped venues with sticky floors.

The large venues belonged to a different class of performers: local and international icons with enough pull to fill the Araneta Coliseum, Folk Arts Theater or Rizal Memorial Stadium.

Back then, foreign groups performing in Manila were rare and considered a national event when they happened. Reporters covered their arrivals at the airport.

So much has changed since then. The venues have become bigger and more modern because of the elaborate stage productions of American, K-pop and P-pop artists.

SM Seaside Cebu Arena is nothing like the venues many of us batang ‘90s grew up with. The full air-conditioning and comfortable seats alone are major upgrades.

It also has 5G Wi-Fi, so fans can share their favorite moments in real time. There are also LED screens and sophisticated sound systems that help make the show feel immersive throughout the venue.

SM Prime has clearly raised its own bar with this one.

Hans Sy, chairman of the executive committee of SM Prime, said in a chat during the launch that they learned a lot from the original MOA Arena and were able to incorporate those improvements into the Cebu Arena.

Developments such as this can definitely help spur the local economy.

If Taylor Swift and BTS have shown us anything, it is that a concert can now give people a reason to visit a city and boost its economy.

Singapore saw this with The Eras Tour, when it became the only Southeast Asian stop. Demand for flights and accommodation increased by up to 30 percent around Swift’s concert dates.

In March, South Korea welcomed 2.06 million foreign visitors, its highest monthly total on record, driven largely by BTS’ comeback concert.

The Philippines is beginning to see the same benefit. Metro Manila’s economy grew by 4.4 percent in 2025, supported by several industries, including entertainment-related activities. Philippine Statistics Authority data showed concerts were among the strongest growth categories.

For sure, the opening of SM Seaside Cebu Arena brings the concert economy to Cebu and can definitely put the island on the global concert circuit.