THE Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KJC) King Dome, a multipurpose indoor arena adjacent to the Davao City airport, is 70 percent complete as its budget rose to P13 billion from the initial P10 billion.
It is expected to open its doors in 2022.
Pastor Apollo C. Quiboloy, executive pastor of The Kingdom of Jesus Christ, in an interview with the media Tuesday, November 12, during the soft launching of Christmas Village in Tamayong, Calinan, said they are now fast-tracking the construction of the coliseum.
"The Kingdome's target for completion is 2022. Right now, we are putting on the roof. Yung roof niya is two and a half hectares yon (The roof is two and a half hectares). There are six layers of insulation and waterproofing kaya matagal kasi mega project (that is why it is taking awhile because it is a mega project)," Quiboloy said.
The mixed-use facility is said to be the biggest indoor arena with a seating capacity of 70,000, bigger than the Philippine Arena, which is currently the world's largest indoor arena with a maximum seating capacity of 55,000.
Quiboloy said one of the reasons for the delay of the project is the shipping of the materials, which they imported from Vietnam and China.
"All the steel, so they have to ship them, so 'yong time factor medyo matatagalan. The completion niya is about 60 or 70 percent. In fact, the Chinese engineers already came for the putting up of the glass wall yong kanyang skin niya. Hindi kasi concrete, puro glass siya specifically made for the King Dome parang diamond shape so yon ang magkakabit ang mga Chinese engineers," Quiboloy added.
"As time goes by na nade-delay siya, lalong lumalaki ang budget, labor -- sa lahat but it is every day nandoon ako. I am satisfied with what is happening. This is the biggest, 70,000 seating," he said.
He also boasts that the facility can stand up to a magnitude 10 earthquake after they conducted a simulation test on the structural integrity of the arena. The main architect of the building came from Australia.
"Kapag na-build and simulate na may earthquake so nong umabot ng seven, medyo pumula siya so hindi pa ako gusto doon, so idenesign nila ulit yong mga bakal kung ano ang weight. Nong pangatlo nag simulate kami, umabot na ng 10, nag green pa rin siya so it is very safe kahit umabot ng 10, green pa rin siya ganon pa rin ka steady," Quiboloy said.