SM

SM

We Want a SM SAVEMORE or HYPERMART at Pueblo Ocampo/Taft Manila

After seeing how great the mixed use condo mall is at Robinsons Place Manila has proved to be, I think a SM hypermarket or mini mall on vita cruz and taft (opposite Jolibee) could be a prime opportunity to form a joint venture with Cityland to put several condo projects on top of such a mall or hypermarket and would be a gold mine for the operators and residents and such a convenience.

I am sure Cityland Chairman Sycip and President Luison might be interested. Cityland has excellent value for the money and are quickly bought up as a result. http://www.citylandcondo.com/properties.html

There are over 6 major wealthy colleges and universities within two blocks
De La Salle University-Manila Taft Ave, Manila
DLSU School of Design Ocampo
STI COLLEGE - TAFT INC, Educational Institutions, 1913 TAFT AVENUE
Philippine Normal University - Taft Avenue, Manila
SANTA ISABEL COLLEGE, 210 Taft Avenue, Manila, Manila
St scholastica's college manila
Rizal Stadium

At least 10 high rise condos within one block and a place to shop a few steps away is badly needed. And maybe more condos right along the LRT stop Vita Cruz/Taft/Pueblo Ocampo.

And with all these potential customers nearby, why not have entertainment and restaurants along Taft Ave like you have done in SM Cebu that face the street and can stay open all night if desired?



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Parents from all over the Philippines buy condos for their students in Manila and the same could happen in Cebu as it is a magnet for students from Letye, Bohol, Negroes and Mindanao.
Another prime use for a condo/hypermarket at vita cruz & taft on top of SM hypermarket could be a call center on some of the floors as this is bound to continue to expand here in Manila as more firms move call operations here and it is in such a prime location for so many residents as it right on the vita cruz lrt stop. Prime location at vita cruz/taft across from Jolibee for a joint hypermarket mini mall and mixed use Cityland condo.



There is a big mansion and property between Taft & Vita Cruz just a few minutes from the corner that could be the anchor area for the start of the development and many others would be happy to sell. Students, parents, the sports attendees at Rizal Stadium, the hotels, the condos, the schools, the main transport line would all welcome such a development.

We hope that SM Savemore or Hypermart could be a anchor to allow other entertainment businesses to open in a safe and recognized developer in this Taft/Pueblo Ocampo area with its thousands of wealthy residents ready to buy and spend.

SM to open 3D theater in Cebu before yearend

BELIEVING the Cebu market is ready to pay more for digital films, SM Cinemas will open a 500-seater IMAX Theater in SM City Cebu in the fourth quarter of the year. (my comment.....the residents of Cebu look forward to this quality upgrade! Thanks)

Digital theater system developer IMAX and SM Cinemas will convert SM’s Cinema 4 into an IMAX theater, equipped with 3D projection technology, laser-aligned digital sound system and a customized way of maximizing a movie-goer’s field of view. When it opens in November or December, it will be the first IMAX Theater outside Metro Manila.

Since they need to choose a good film for the launch, SM Cinema senior vice president Edgar Tejerero said the IMAX-SM partnership are looking Walt Disney’s A Christmas Carol, which is due for release in November, and James Camerons’ Avatar, which Twentieth Century Fox announced will be available in 3D format on Dec. 18.
Cebu Sunstar 7/16/09
http://www.sunstar.com.ph/cebu/sm-open-3d-theater-cebu-yearend

IMAX Comes to SM North Edsa, now when in Cebu as promised?

Is the IMAX Theater in Mall Of Asia too far for you because you are living north of Metro Manila? Then fret no more!

On July 16, 2009, after opening the very first IMAX Theatre in the Philippines at SM Mall of Asia, SM Cinema is opening another IMAX Theatre at SM City North EDSA!
Digital Manila Blog

My comment: Earlier press reports said IMAX would also come to SM cebu in mid 2009. I wonder when it will be annouced as opening?

"SMPHI will also introduce Imax (Image Maximum) cinema technology in Cebu. The company will convert the existing Cinema 4 at SM City into an Imax theater that shows three-dimensional movies and hopes to open the facility in the middle of 2009. " from Cebu Sunstar 9/13/2008

SM Megamall Launches Wi-Fi Service Today

After the prior successful Wi-Fi service launches in other SM Malls in the past few months, SM Megamall follows suit with the rest of its Sy-owned mall family. The earlier ones include SM Marikina, SM The Block, The Podium, SM North Edsa, and SM Bacoor.

However, compared to all the other Wi-Fi service quality, SM Megamall's Wi-Fi service today was not upto par.

It suffered a measly speed of 100kbps download speed according to measuring site Speedtest.net. Compared to household PLDT DSL999 connections which avergaes 1000kps, one would crawl with a YouTube upload or download.

Hopefully, it would improve as they get some realizations out of this user beta-test session; or after it is already 100% implemented. Nonetheless the common user can be thankful for the technology and SM Megamall's free Wi-Fi service.

My comment, now if only they would bring it to SM Cebu, Parkmall and Emall here in Cebu too hehe.

Reported in Digital Manila

http://digitalmanila.blogspot.com/2009/07/sm-megamall-launches-wi-fi-service.html

Here are some of my other blog posting on free wifi


SM Prime Holdings eyes three more malls in Cebu

CEBU, Philippines - SM Prime Holdings Inc., the conglomerate that owns and manages SM shopping malls in the country is currently negotiating with three properties here in Cebu for possible sites of three new malls.

“We are still in the middle of negotiations but we will come out with some good news towards the end of the third quarter because we should be closing some deals by then,” said SM Prime Holdings president Hans T. Sy in an interview.

He also said that the three new properties will hopefully include the South Road Properties (SRP) site. After SM Prime Holdings close the deals for the three new sites in Cebu this third quarter, they are targeting to construct the malls simultaneously within 18 to 30 months so that it will be ready for operation by 2011.


7/6/09 Read the complete article here by clicking link below
http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=484157&publicationSubCategoryId=108

We want SM in CEBU South Reclaimation Area

The development of the South Area is exciting news for the city of Cebu and holds great promise for a planned community with world recognition and great vision is needed.

The piecemeal development of the North Reclaimation area, the poorly maintained roads, and still many vacant lots 20 years later gives reason for instead a planned development of the South Area such as the one that might be negotiated with SM if proper staffguards were written into the contract to allow a planned development to take place. Foreigners are starting to come here with the price of quality education a good price just like medical tourism, why not have SM develop a University too as students become a magnet for the mall business as you find in Manila SM near Universities. Yes even a Mactan like export processing zone could be incorporated into the terms of the contract with SM and real estate examples in Manila like the amazing multi towered condos developments underway at the Megaworld Manhattan Graden city at Arneta Center QC.

The sprawl of retail stores and restaurants commingling with residences and commercial buildings just attest to the integrated lifestyles urban people lead now. I see the facelifts that are taking place in the most prominent malls nowadays. Whether these were spurred by competition or upgrading consumer's shopping experience, or both, there is no doubt that we, the public, benefit from this. The changes actualized are reflections of a changing society as well. Even in the USA many people are moving back to the city to be near stores, colleges.


Cityland has excellent value for the money and are quickly bought up and would be a great development for SM partner in a coventure of condos, colleges, and malls
http://www.citylandcondo.com/properties.html so a joint venture with city land would provide housing for the new SM university and customers for a SM mall.

Parents from all over the Philippines buy condos for their students in Manila and the same could happen in Cebu as it is a magnet for students from Letye, Bohol, Negroes and Mindanao.

(
http://condominium4u.googlepages.com/) condo/mall like Robinsons Place Manila

The south area is idea for a planned community of universities/hospitals/condos/stadium/sports area/offices/export processing zone/malls/business park/ it zone/call centers/museums/hotels/casino/convention cener/film studios/amusement park/retirement communities all in a planned development that is world class all tied together in an amazing mix of with a transportation hub/entertainment/parks/strolling areas/entertainment with restaurants and fireworks along the waterfront like Manila's Board walk and creating thousands of jobs. And world recognition for a well planned master plan.

Why not make this a hotel concentration area for transportation to other islands link right at the hotels, convention center, sports arenaand casios to rival Macau as Cebu is centrally located allowing other islands to come to Cebu and spend their money in a world class environment?
And if a signed commitment with SM Prime indicated when each component was to done by an exact date, the city of Cebu woould have a world class development. Why only allow the Ayala Business Park to shine, why not two world class developments in Cebu with wide roads, sidewalks and to rival Singapore! Parks and water front boardwalk development would allow a world class tourist attraction as well.

I have included two links online related to the worldclass SM Mall of Asia in Manila (footnote 1) and the economic benefits of the new Bacolod SM Business Park (footnote 2)

A world class planned community would really put Cebu City on the map with forward thinking leaders and plans. Good luck.

footnote 1 Mall of Asia in Manila shows the way for multiple uses for call center buildings, offices, coliseum (with ample parking...5,000 spaces), IT development, central transportation hub (even a tram) and this could all be within Cebu City not neighboring towns (and the tax base would be amazing)!

The Mall of Asia http://wikimapia.org/83627/ was constructed within the reclamation area, west of Roxas Boulevard in Pasay City, aptly nicknamed "Bay City". It is built on 19.5 hectares of reclaimed land and has a gross floor area of 386,224 square meters. The mall is located at the southmost tip of Epifanio de los Santos Avenue. A roundabout was constructed in the front of the mall with a huge bronze globe similar to Universal Studios. An esplanade was constructed at the back of the mall where it served as the observation center for the First World Pyro Olympics in December 2005.

The mall consists of four buildings interconnected by walkways: the Main Mall, Entertainment Mall, and the North and South Carpark Buildings. One of its unique features is a 20-seater tram to make it easier for shoppers to go around. The management’s priority is to make sure shoppers will not get lost inside the mall. There will be two concierge desks—one in the Main Mall and another in the Entertainment Mall. Maps will be given out, and there will be signs aplenty. The Main Mall will include shopping and dining establishments, the food court. The South Parking building will house the SM Department store and half of the 5,000 parking spaces while the North Parking building will include the SM Hypermarket, a spacious office space and more dining areas.

The mall’s newest attraction is the Pacifica Entertainment Plaza. Besides bowling and billiards facilities, the building will house 10 theaters, including a Director’s Club and the first ever IMAX theater in the Philippines. The theater, named as the San Miguel Coca-Cola IMAX Theater would also have the largest screen in the Philippines at 22 x 30 meters, similar to the height of an eight-story building. The CenterStage Cinema which can used for live musical concerts and theatrical performances, and six regular cinemas. The mall also features an Olympic sized skating rink and a science museum. The mall also provides office space. Dell International Services (call center), a subsidiary of Dell, Inc. occupies a 13,470.5-square meter area at the second floor of the north parking building of the mall.

Adjacent to the south parking building, a two-hectare area has been allocated for the site of a 16,000-capacity multi-purpose coliseum/arena for sporting events, concerts and entertainment shows. It is set to rival the 50-year old Araneta Coliseum in Cubao, Quezon City. Furthermore, a planned convention/conference center measuring 12,000 square meters will be built as an attractive venue for major conferences and trade exhibits. The convention center once constructed, will be a newer alternative to the Philippine International Convention Center, erected in 1976, located a few blocks away. Along with this, two hotel developments, one with a casino, are also planned for construction.

Also set to the right of the north parking building, The SM iCity is a 69,300-square-meter area allocated to serve as a prime venue for companies engaged in software development and IT-enabled services. A mix of single and multi-storey buildings will be developed to provide for the office and workspace requirements of prospective IT-related locator companies and for support office and backroom operations of business process outsourcing. The first building, OneE-comCenter, began March 8, 2006 and is scheduled for completion in July 2007.

An esplanade was constructed at the back of the mall where it served as the observation center for the First World Pyro Olympics in December 2005. My comment: If done in Cebu city, then a world class waterfront in a PLANNED development could result where citizens could walk along the tree lined waterfront and have central transportation links like Baywalk Manila.

Henry Sy, owner of SM Malls said that the name of the biggest mall of asia will be lost come 2007 due to the structural expansion of SM City North EDSA. The SM City North EDSA is the centerpiece project of SM Prime at the newly developed SM Central Business Park, where five one-story buildings serve as the company's corporate offices.

The mall is very different from the other SM malls, as it does not follow the usual SM mall format. It is the second SM mall to cater to the upper and upper-middle class, the first being The Podium and the 7th high-end mall in Manila, after Ayala Center Makati, Shangri-La Plaza Mall, Alabang Town Center, Power Plant Mall and The Podium. It has many foreign luxury stores, such as Zara, Marks and Spencer, Tag Heuer, Charriol, Calvin Klein and some other foreign brands. It also has high-end restaurants.

The SM Mall of Asia is the largest shopping mall in the Philippines and the third largest shopping mall in the world in terms of gross floor size. It is owned and operated by SM Prime Holdings, under the management of Henry Sy, a Filipino-Chinese business tycoon — regarded as one of the wealthiest men in Asia.
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footnote 2 SM in Bacolod to snowball small businesses By Erwin Ambo S. Delilan
http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/bac/2007/03/02/news/sm.to.snowball.small.businesses.html

THE Metro Bacolod Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MBCCI) is confident that the presence of SM City-Bacolod will cause the mushrooming of small businesses in the periphery of the reclamation area.

MBCCI Vice President for Internal Affairs Frank Carbon said with 3,000 to 4,000 people employed by SM City, "I am confident that boarding houses, eateries, among other small-time businesses, will sprout in the areas beside Manokan Country, Vendors' Market, Dawis, and Barangay 16."

With this scenario, "I am pretty sure that money will just be around the city and this is good for our local economy," Carbon said.

Carbon said he is also grateful that SM City did not only give benefits to Bacoleños but also to some Negrenses as far as San Carlos City in the north and Hinoba-an in the south.

He said a lot of Bacolod and Negros businessmen will also be given opportunity to think of another business ventures that SM could not give to the public.

Meanwhile, Bacolod Lone District Rep. Monico Puentevella said "SM City is a long awaited project for several years. So it's about time for us to enjoy it. Let's all welcome SM to the City of Smiles and hope that our local economy picks up more."

For his part, Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia said "With SM, small and medium industries in Bacolod will also be given hope to shine benefiting the ordinary people by generating jobs and providing income to small manufacturers and vendors alike."

Leonardia said SM City will also be a big factor for the tourism and investment promotion of the city.

As for the plan of SM management to also put up a convention center soon, the mayor is confident that Bacolod will soon be "the real premier City in the south where residents have a high sense of pride of the place, of self, and display significant value of concerns for the common good."

And with the presence of call centers - Teletech, IOAsia, Focus and TelePerformance, Leonardia is also confident that the city will soon shine in economically.

How about an SM or Sy Universities in Manila and Cebu?

I noted the headline the other day that SM Group still open to new opportunities and wanted to pass along the idea of developing universities near your malls here in Cebu or other towns as it creates tremendous foot traffic and sales and makes the students life long customers.

Cebu Doctors has opened near the Park Mall and has created some customer traffic but is too far away to make it easy to walk there like many of the universities there in Manila which make all of the SM malls boom with traffic. Here in Cebu, with the South reclaimation area just getting underway, it would be a prime move to build a mall and university (in cooperation with another group if necessary) in this developing area and even the SM City Cebu still has vacant land at the side and back that could be easily developed into a university with already excellent transport links as well. And if some condos could be developed near SM City Cebu, it would also would be a great traffic generator like Robinsons Place Manila has shown extremely well with their condo towers over the malls. Other provincial towns with SM malls would also be prime candidates for colleges as many foreigner students are already coming here to college and many more are planning to avail of this cheaper cost Philippine education and many overseas workers sending their students to college as well.

And this would create a steady rent stream in the university and also create much high end foot traffic.

SM Group still open to new opportunities
Business Mirror 6/14/09
http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/home/companies/11688-sm-group-still-open-to-new-opportunities.html

comments from the internet
What College Should I Enroll In The Philippines?
im a senior in High school in here in NY, USA and im planning to go to college next year in the philippines. But i dont know which college to go to . I want to take nursing, Doctor, or any in MED fields.. Which ones are easier to take ? And i will be taking the SAT test in Oct. …..Will the Philippines college accept my SATs scores if they are high? And are the Admission tests or the Entrance Exam in the Philippines are hard?
Please help?
http://www.mymashweb.com/living/what-college-should-i-enroll-in-the-philippines/

Anthony V says:
May 31, 2009 at 6:19 am
haahaaaaay, i’m surprised henry sy hasn’t thought of opening an SM university yet. i’m sure you’ll be the first to be admitted

SM malls free wi-fi? We want free wi-fi in SM as customers

????
Dear SM Mall owners: With the explosion of internet cell phone users in malls, and the many new very cheap internet offerings now from SMART, Globe and SUN, and easy installation of a wireless internet router in the ceiling of the central mall, customers would be extremely pleased as all of the shops in Cebu SM that have wifi are locked and not open and most shops employees DO NOT know about how to access. Try walking abound SM Cebu and see if you can find any open wifi and you will find it very disappointing.

Robinsons malls already offer free open access to mall customers and it would be a wonderful addition to SM mall Cebu and an easy installation at both central courts with wifi routers in SM malls.

Advertising that you have free wi-fi on your website would then let the world audience know of an added benefit to SM mall shopping. So many chatters on blogs now want free wifi access in malls.

It so easy & cheap to set up with a wireless access point from CDR King or other computer store! SM is a leader in most customer services why not in free internet access too?

In SM Cebu, there are many wi-fi signals but all are closed and set up for shop use only. Gokongwei-owned malls offers free Wi-Fi why can't mall leader SM as well?

My comment about the following article: Sadly SM malls are missing from this article, I wonder why they don't also offer free wifi?

Free wifi. (Philippine Inquirer article)

Yes, I am a self-confessed wifi whore. A place only becomes truly civilized in my eyes if it offers free wifi. When booking hotels, it is my “non-negotiable.” If I could learn one phrase in different languages, it would be, “Do you have free wifi?”

Since I am always out, whether on location or doing creative research (e.g. shopping), I’ve short-listed some favorite places where you can spend some quality time with your netbook, laptop, iPhone or favorite mobile Internet device.

The Malls—Free wifi in a place with pretty little things that you can have in exchange for multi-colored rectangular pieces of paper (a.k.a money) is probably the closest thing to heaven on earth for me. If you have the time, it can even help you become a more savvy shopper, e.g. check out the reviews on a book you’re thinking of buying, or see if that gadget you want will be cheaper if your US-based relative can buy it for you online instead. That is, if you can overcome the lust for immediate gratification first.

Powerplant Mall

Powered by Wigo, using the free wifi requires an initial registration process and download of a toolbar (if using a laptop). The wifi is pretty fast. There are fairly strong signals throughout the entire place (though it’s strongest on the side near the cinemas). You can park your butt at any of the numerous restaurants and coffee shops around the mall.

Glorietta

While there are no cozy seats or steaming mugs of frothy beverages, Glorietta 3’s topmost level, Digital Exchange, houses free wifi powered by Globe WIZ. It’s the perfect place to shop for phones and other gadgets since you’ll be able to compare prices, specs and go through user reviews if you bring your netbook along.

Robinsons malls

Robinsons malls, like Galleria, for instance was one of the first malls to go free wifi all the way. Great surfing spots on weekdays. Avoid during three-day sales, for your sanity’s and wallet’s sakes.

To read the complete Philippine Inquirer article click the link below

http://showbizandstyle.inquirer.net/lifestyle/lifestyle/view/20090619-211459/Sweet-spots-Wifi-havens-in-the-Metro

Other free wi-fi mall links

Free WiFi hotspots wi-fi Shopping Mall
There are currently over 200 free Wi-Fi hotspots in shopping malls across the United States.
http://www.openwifispots.com/category_free_wifi_wireless_hotspot_Shopping_Mall_40.aspx

SM Marikina now offers Mall-Wide Free Wifi Access
http://www.melovillareal.com/2009/02/28/sm-marikina-now-offers-mall-wide-free-wifi-access/

CDRKing in many SM malls for wi-fi broadcasting
http://www.cdrking.com.ph/

has wireless access point routers as cheap as 1200 pesos
LP-8188 Wireless AP Router

Here are some of my other postings on free wifi