DAVAO City’s rapidly expanding economy is drawing in yet another major investment, this time a P500 million convention center set to rise in Maa.
To be developed by a Davao-based company, the project is expected to match or even surpass the scale of the SMX Convention Center operated by SM Prime Holdings, reinforcing the growing demand for large events infrastructure in the city.
The upcoming facility will be “almost as big or bigger than SMX,” according to Christian Cambaya, head of the Investor Assistance Servicing Unit of the Davao City Investment Promotion Center (DCIPC).
“It’s a big convention center that will rival SMX, but of course, if it is a convention center, there are establishments, commercials [inside] the area,” Cambaya shared the update during the Business Insights Forum at Probinsya Restaurant, Bajada, on November 21, 2025, noting that the investor is now completing final permits.
A rising rival to SMX
The planned Maa development enters a competitive landscape where SMX Davao continues to be the city’s leading venue.
SMX Davao offers three function rooms and five meeting rooms, with a total of 5,200 square meters of leasable space. The venue can host anything from a 5,550-person audience to an exclusive conference of 10 participants.
Situated within 7,853 sqm inside SM Lanang Premier Mall and directly connected to the Park Inn by Radisson Hotel via footbridge, SMX Davao remains the largest and first privately owned and managed convention and exhibition center in the country’s south.
Cambaya noted that SMX is also preparing for its expansion, signaling the strong, sustained growth of the city’s events and exhibitions industry.
Davao continues to attract big investors
Cambaya emphasized that the investor selected Davao City due to its economic stability, reliable electricity supply, and secure environment. The developer is “very positive on the robust economic growth of the city, and they look at peace and order and competitors,” he said, adding that these factors continue to position Davao as an ideal destination for major developments.
Davao’s expanding events landscape
The entry of the new Maa convention center comes at a time when Davao is seeing a surge in the development of large venues. One of the most notable is the KJC King Dome Arena, which is set to become the biggest venue in Davao for events. With a projected seating capacity of 75,000, it is positioned to surpass even the Philippine Arena, making it one of the largest indoor venues in the world.
Alongside these major players, various large hotels, multipurpose halls, and private facilities continue to expand their events offerings, contributing to a more robust and geographically diverse Mice (meetings, incentives, conferences, exhibitions) infrastructure across the city.
Strengthening Davao’s Mice Sector
Davao City’s Mice sector plays an increasingly critical role in its economy. The city hosts numerous business conventions, trade expos, academic gatherings, tourism fairs, and government summits each year, events that draw thousands of participants and generate widespread economic activity.
These events directly benefit hotels, restaurants, transportation providers, retail businesses, and tourism operators, creating a strong multiplier effect that supports jobs and strengthens several interconnected industries.
With the new Maa convention center, the ongoing expansion of SMX, and the rise of the King Dome Arena, Davao City is poised to significantly increase its capacity to host national and international events. This positions the city as the premier Mice destination in Southern Philippines and a major driving force for Mindanao’s economic momentum. DEF