A TOP executive of the SM Hotels and Conventions Corporation said Clark is the country's future development area.
"We always see that Clark is the future. With all the developments happening and even now, seeing how Clark International Airport is coming up and how the international flights are targeting to land in Clark. So, the future is there," said Walid Wafik, senior vice president for Operations of SM Hotels and Conventions Corporation.
Wafik was one of the guests during the relaunching on Tuesday, March 29, of the News @ Hues media forum hosted by the Pampanga Press Club (PPC) and Park Inn by Radisson Clark.
He said local government units are working together to connect Clark with Metro Manila. "This is going to happen so we know there is a future here."
The SM executive said SMX Clark, which is their third-largest convention center next to SMX MOA and SMX Davao, will open on May 24, 2022.
"This SMX [Clark] has one great advantage, we built 14 meeting rooms. This is larger than any other SMX that we have at this scale," Wafik said.
SMX Clark can accommodate multi-scale events with gross leasable space of more than 4,000 square meters. It has two level event venues and a mezzanine floor for offices.
It was strategically built near SM City Clark and Park Inn by Radisson Clark hotel.
Andrea Francesca Madlangbayan, regional operations manager of SM Supermalls, said they included in their development plan parking spaces which will complement the operation of SMX Clark and the newly-expanded Park Inn hotel.
She said a 900-slot multi-level parking area will open prior to the launching of SMX Clark.
SM City Clark also has an existing steel deck parking building next to the convention center, according to Madlangbayan.
"This is around 100-slot so those that will be attending the convention, they can opt to either use the steel deck parking or the customer parking here at the back," she added.
For her part, Park Inn By Radisson Clark general manager Ann Olalo said their new 100-room extension will open in June this year.
"So the new wing which opens in June is an additional 100 rooms. The original wing is 154, so that gives us a total of 254 rooms which we will support when SMX opens, when MICE groups are here and again our advantage is proximity. We are connected by a door, so very convenient for our guests. They stay in the new wing, they come down the elevator and they are there in SMX already," Olalo said.
https://www.sunstar.com.ph/article/1925101/pampanga/business/sm-exec-clark-is-the-future
