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A mammoth crowd of 36,000 filled the sparkling new Araneta Coliseum to witness the historic Flash Elorde-Harold Gomes, the Big Dome’s inaugural offering more than 50 years ago. It was acknowledged as an engineering marvel with the biggest clear-span dome – without a single post to obstruct anyone’s view – in the world.
Fast forward to July 23-24, 2011.
Another humongous crowd filled the Big Dome as it kicked off another chapter of its illustrious history under a new name and an exciting alliance.
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While others may rest on their laurels after an illustrious fifty year existence, the Araneta Center is certainly not one to do so. On the contrary, there are many things rising at the 35 hectare property that boggles yet excites the mind.
First, the world famous Big Dome has been renamed the SMART Araneta Coliseum. Chairman and CEO of the Araneta Group, Jorge L. Araneta, announced this himself during the opening of the unprecedented All-Star Weekend at the Big Dome with no less than basketball greats playing in a series of games with thousands of people watching live and millions more on television.
During that momentous occasion, Mr. Araneta proudly announced that “more than an alliance, this is a fusion of ideas, and ideals, a renewed commitment to sports, entertainment and youth development.” Thus even after more than 6,000 world class shows viewed by over 35 million people in the last half a century, the SMART Araneta Center was bracing itself to fortify its position as the entertainment mecca of the country.
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