SM Seaside Cebu Arena is strengthening Cebu’s position as a regional entertainment destination after hosting a sold-out concert by Filipino pop group BINI, highlighting the growing ability of the city to attract large-scale live events and the economic activity they generate.
The concert, part of BINI’s “BINI Signals World Tour 2026,” drew thousands of fans from across the Visayas and other parts of the country, providing a boost to hotels, restaurants, retailers, transportation providers and other local businesses, according to SM Supermalls.
The event is among the first major concerts staged at the P7-billion SM Seaside Cebu Arena, which opened earlier this year as part of SM Prime Holdings’ mixed-use development in the South Road Properties district.
The venue spans more than seven hectares of gross floor area and accommodates up to 25,000 spectators, making it one of the country’s largest indoor entertainment venues outside Metro Manila. It was designed by global architecture firm Arquitectonica.
The arena is directly connected to SM Seaside City Cebu and will eventually be integrated with the upcoming SMX Convention Center Seaside Cebu, Park Inn by Radisson and Radisson Hotel, forming a larger business, tourism and entertainment complex in Cebu.
The successful staging of the BINI concert comes as more concert promoters are adding Cebu to regional tour schedules, reflecting rising demand for live entertainment outside the capital and increasing confidence in the city’s event infrastructure.
Industry observers have said major concerts generate significant spillover spending on accommodation, food, transportation and retail, while strengthening a city’s profile as a tourism and convention destination.
SM Prime executives previously said the arena is expected to anchor a broader entertainment and hospitality district within the company’s South Road Properties development, complementing the convention center and hotel projects that are currently under construction.
Business News Asia
