⌛ Perspective - Robinsons Place - Dumaguete

SM CITY Bacolod

 

But Bacolod already has four major malls: 2 Robinsons, 1 Gaisano and SM, while Dumaguete has none yet. There is a big student population from other places whose parents visit the city to check the conditions of their children studying here from time to time. Then there are the patients from other places who come to our places to avail of the services of our hospitals here. And besides, tourist arrivals in Oriental Negros is bigger than in the Occidental side. Tourism here is on the upswing because of our nice environment and our being away from the typhoon belt. Another factor is that there are still underserved areas in nearby provinces such as the Zamboanga Peninsula and parts of Misamis Occidental which do not have major regional malls nearby (SM, Robinsons or Ayala). Bacolod, on the other hand, is just 2 hours away from Iloilo, and its neighboring areas such as Oriental Negros (which will soon be served by Robinsons), Occidental Negros itself, Iloilo, some parts of Panay and Cebu, already have major malls nearby. These are also factors to consider, right?

 

Although these are factors, they are minor considerations. A whole range of economic and geographic considerations have to be taken into account in determining the size, scale, configuration and tenant mix of a shopping center. The two that I mentioned (i.e. demographics, retail appetite) are major issues. Some other major factors are market size, consumer spending potential, and overall market share. What you mentioned (the students, people living outside of dgte/neg.or.,etc.)compose the transients. The sales generated from these kind of customers are "seasonal".

Remember that Dumaguete also has Lee Super Plaza, and the Hypermart. Then there are the smaller commercial centers, like Ever Mall, Mart 1, as well as the other smaller retail outlets. All of these commercial players will share a piece of the pie.

All these considerations have to be weighed very carefully before any final decisions are made, inasmuch as there is so much at stake for a mall developer. Capitalization for full service malls are in millions, even billions, and ROI is 10 years or even more.

 

BTW, this project (Robinsons Dgte) will be more delayed. Just got word today that expected opening will be last quarter of next year.

 

Aside from that, putting up a hotel or BPO centers, or other businesses nearby could also create a captured market. Robinsons Dumaguete is in a business park, which would have several office buildings, commercial areas and other amenities when fully developed.

Remember that the IT sector is one of the drivers of the retail sector nowadays. Another factor would be the large number of OFWs from Dumaguete and Siquijor who send a lot of money to their family members. And according to the AIM survey last year, Dumaguete has the most number of banks per 100,000 population among small cities in the country. That means that there are a lot of disposable income circulating around the city.

@foxylady: what's the reason for the delay?

 

Echir, Robinsons already did a careful study of all that, which is exactly the reason why they've decided to put up a mall in Dgte. Matagal pinag-aralan yan....my proposal and market study for that mall was made in 2002, and it was only implemented last year.

Re cause for delay, that is confidential.

 

Maybe they want the Exclusivity Contract with Teletech to expire first so they could put up Accenture or other BPO company inside their mall?

 

let us just wait for that community shopping center to open.

 

but why would it take so lonngggggggggggg???????....

 

top management's call yan.