Rizal coliseum redevelopment plan will preserve façade
The group of tycoon Enrique Razon said on Tuesday that Manila would benefit from “urban renewal” and unlock more revenues from the preservation and redevelopment of the 82-year-old Rizal Memorial Sports Complex (RMSC).
The statement was issued by Razon’s camp following the circulation of an online signature campaign among heritage conservation advocates opposing the conversion of the sports complex—described as an “architectural and historical gem”—into a shopping mall.
Originally built in 1934, the RMSC was destroyed during World War II, reconstructed in 1953 and renovated in 2011. It is owned by the City of Manila and managed by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC).
“Through all these years, no individual or group, be that government or private, has offered to redevelop the RMSC. Today, it stands derelict and a sad reminder of the Philippines’ former glory days in sports,” the Razon group said.
It added that it had been offering for some time to redevelop and revitalize the sports complex.
“Fully cognizant that RMSC is a sports landmark and of the close association that Filipinos have for sports, the Razon group, in its preservation plan, will maintain as well as fortify the RMSC façade,” it said.
The complex, however, will house contemporary buildings with modern offices and commercial areas run by smart technologies. These will come with modern amenities, green open spaces and a sports museum.
According to the statement, the business areas were expected to compensate for the “expensive” and “meticulous” process of restoring and preserving the RMSC façade.
“With this urban renewal, Manila is expected to quickly catch up with other cities in the National Capital Region that have quickly grown and modernized,” it said.
“Moreover, the revitalized RMSC is expected to provide a new revenue stream for Manila, as well as create thousands of jobs,” it added.
According to the statement, the sports complex has not undergone any structural and facilities improvements or upgrading for quite some time, rendering it “virtually unsuitable and unsafe not only for training athletes, but also [local and] international games.”
“[Manila] has had no income from RMSC for years now, leaving [it] with no funds to modernize facilities,” it said.
The Razon group observed that the PSC has been considering transferring the sports complex to a different location, possibly Clark, in order to build the Philippine Olympic Village once funding becomes available.
The new sports complex is envisioned to be a larger and more modern sports complex complete with training facilities for athletes and facilities for hosting large sporting events.
However, according to the statement, the city government has not generated any income from the RMSC which could have been used to preserve the complex.
The joint venture between the Razon group and Manila City government was announced recently by Mayor Joseph Estrada who said that the construction of the commercial center would lead to an increase in revenues.
