Saturday, July 08, 2006

SM Mall of Asia

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 (next to the Golden Resources Mall in China and West Edmonton Mall in Canada). It opened on May 21, 2006.

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. (Forbes 2006 ranks him as the 14th richest person in southeast Asia, and "Henry Sy and family" as 74th richest person in the "Asia and Australia" region)

The Mall of Asia 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.

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