Plans for PBA Coliseum taking shape — Eala

Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) commissioner Noli Eala said yesterday it will take three years to build a proposed stadium with a seating capacity of 19,000, an underground practice facility and an expanded courtside section at a cost of P700 million.

No blueprint has been set on paper but Eala conjured visions of a facility similar to the American Airlines Arena which is the Miami Heat’s home in the National Basketball Association (NBA).

Eala said the PBA is pursuing the goal of owning its own coliseum and three properties in Quezon City are under consideration as the site. He said the option of building on the reclaimed area off Roxas Boulevard was scuttled because of the SM Group’s plan to construct an arena near the Mall of Asia.

PBA chairman Ricky Vargas, Eala and legal counsel Melvin Mendoza recently met with Quezon City Mayor Sonny Belmonte to identify possible sites for the stadium.

Suggested as candidate sites were the corner of EDSA and Quezon Avenue where the Manila Seedling Bank is located, a property at the boundary of Agham Road and Quezon Avenue and a lot on Ayala Land’s North Triangle Development Area near SM North EDSA.

Eala said raising P700 million for the project is doable and outlined a capital outlay program where two principal PBA franchise owners will get the ball rolling with a contribution of P100 million each. The PBA itself could add P150 million to the fund with each team chipping in P15 million apiece. The balance could be from a bank loan or the franchise fees expected from expansion clubs, one of which is already committed for next season.

Eala said Mayor Belmonte broached the idea of adding the facilities of a civic or convention center to the coliseum.

"We’re very excited about the prospect of constructing a multi-purpose arena," said Eala. "Mayor Belmonte is enthusiastic. The PBA offices will be in the stadium. A practice facility, with a full-sized court, could be on the ground floor under the main level. There could be an exhibition hall. And in the stadium itself, we could expand the courtside section so that there is virtually no gallery and every fan gets an unobstructed view of the action."

Eala visited the Miami facility during the NBA Finals last June and said he’ll suggest it as a pattern for the PBA coliseum.

The Heat’s facility was inaugurated in 1999 and is a landmark in downtown Miami as one of the premier sports and entertainment facilities in the US. It was constructed on a 1.4 million square foot property with the flexibility to accommodate a wide variety of programming, including 19,600 for basketball. The arena has hosted championship fights, wrestling extravaganzas and concerts featuring the Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen, Andrea Bocelli, U2 and Madonna. Located within the arena is a state-of-the-art theater for smaller shows, private performances and dinner events with a ceiling to floor acoustic curtain, proscenium stage, lighting, carpeted aisles and chandeliers.

Eala said the plan is for the PBA Coliseum to be a mecca of basketball with games in the UAAP, NCAA and the PBL to be included in the playing schedule.

If plans do not miscarry, the groundbreaking for the project could be held in July next year.

Eala said he has the confirmation for a new team to join the league in the 2007-08 season and is close to finalizing the addition of another franchise. He said he foresees the league with 14 teams by 2010 when the PBA Coliseum will be ready to open.

"While the coliseum is under construction, I’m sure the league will receive even more bids because of the hype generated by the inauguration of a new stadium," said Eala. "I think Welcoat is quite fortunate in that the team joined at the right time. But it’s not too late for others to join. All signs point to a dramatic rise in public interest on the PBA."

So far this conference, the PBA has already registered five playdates with attendance of over 10,000. On season-opening day, more than 16,000 fans jammed the Araneta Coliseum for the inaugural game. Attendance eclipsed the 16,000 mark once again for the recent Sunday doubleheader featuring Alaska vs Air21 and Ginebra San Miguel vs Purefoods at the Big Dome.