BACOLOD City — The long-delayed Bacolod MassKara Coliseum is expected to be completed before October this year, with Mayor Greg Gasataya expressing optimism that the project will finally be finished after years of delay.
Gasataya said the multi-purpose facility has reached 74 percent completion following his recent meeting with the project contractor.
“I already gave them a stern and final notice that the project must be completed according to what is required in the contract,” the mayor said.
The city chief executive earlier said he hopes the 12,000-seat coliseum will be operational ahead of the Batang Pinoy National Championships, which Bacolod City is scheduled to host from December 12 to 18, 2026.
Gasataya noted that when he assumed office on June 30, 2025, the project was only 50 percent complete.
Construction of the coliseum began in 2019 under the previous city administration. The city government initially allocated P800 million for the project, sourced from a P1.7-billion loan from Development Bank of the Philippines.
Last year, Gasataya directed concerned offices and contractors to expedite work on the facility in Barangay Alijis.
The coliseum is envisioned as a premier venue for sports competitions, concerts, conventions and cultural events, and is expected to boost Bacolod City’s entertainment and tourism sectors.
To support the project’s completion, the city government approved an additional P50 million sourced from unobligated balances and debt service savings under the city’s 20-percent development fund for 2022 to 2024.
Former mayor and now Bacolod Lone District Rep. Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said the additional funding was intended for key installations and upgrades, including elevators, escalators, movable bleachers and operable wall partitions.
Benitez said the facility was redesigned to function not only as a sports arena but also as a coliseum-convention center capable of hosting a wider range of events.
“We redesigned the coliseum because if we retained the original design, it would only cater to sports and concerts,” Benitez said in an earlier statement.
Approved upgrades include retractable seats and bleachers, operable wall partitions, a VIP elevator, and two sets of escalators and elevators.
Gasataya clarified that the coliseum is a city government project, while the nearby museum development is being undertaken separately by the Department of Public Works and Highways.
Despite years of setbacks, city officials remain hopeful that the Bacolod MassKara Coliseum will finally open in time for major sporting and entertainment events later this year./PN
