CLARK FREEPORT – The thriving SM City Clark Complex is slowly taking shape, what with the much-awaited opening of the SMX Convention Center Clark, which is being eyed as a flagship for MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions) events.
“We see Clark as the future, with all the developments happening. Even now we are seeing how the Clark airport is coming up, how international flights are targeting to land in Clark,” Walid Wafik, Senior Vice President – Operations of SM Hotels and Conventions Corp., said during Pampanga Press Club’s News@Hues at Park Inn by Radisson Clark.
Local government units close to Clark, Wafik said, are working together in connecting Clark to the National Capital Region.
“We know there is a future here. The demand is there, that’s why we are confident about having an SMX here,” he said.
Wafik said another great advantage of SMX Clark is its size, with 14 meeting rooms in a 17-square meter area.
“SMX Clark is SM’s second standalone convention center, and larger than any other SMXs that we have at its scale. It is 3rd when it comes to size,” he added.
The strength of SMX as a brand, Wafik said, is that it has been in the business for quite some time.
“What we are staring to do is selling SMX Clark as one of the best where events take place. Associations have already expressed interest, including Philconstruct, which will be holding their event at SMX Clark this June,” Wafik said.
Another advantage of SMX, he added, is having Park Inn next door, and the SM City Clark just across the street.
For her part, SM Regional Operations Manager for North Luzon 4 Andrea Madlangbayan highlighted the opening of the SM Skyline, which will also be opening this May.
Part of the next phase of development at the SM City Clark Complex, the Skyline houses four towers, she said.
“Three of these towers are office towers, while 1 tower will house the National University,” she said.
The National University, which is slated to open in 2023, has 5 floors in a 12-square meter area.
According to Madlangbayan, the aim of the Skyline, besides the parking convenience, is linking all 10 buildings of at the complex to the mall, through the food court, the SMX and Park Inn.
Asked about the possible parking problem at the complex, she said they will also be opening in May the parking area beside the Park Inn hotel, which has 900 slots in 3 levels, similar to that of the parking at SM North Edsa and SM City Aura.
“The closest parking to SMX is actually the steel deck parking, which has 1,000 slots,” she said.
