CIAC: Planned Taylor Swift-ready stadium inspired by San Diego Sports Arena

The Clark International Airport Corp. (CIAC) has issued an explanation regarding the viral slide presentation of its plan to develop a Taylor Swift concert-ready entertainment complex in Pampanga by 2028, after netizens noted that its artistic render showed a stadium and surrounding developments that resembled a new sports arena in San Diego, California.

In a statement, CIAC said it was "proud to conceive of this project with the inspiration of the likes of the rising San Diego Sports Arena in California, as presented at the second Clark Technical Working Group (TWG) on the Enhancement of the Utilization of Clark International Airport (CRK) meeting."

"There was no copyright infringement intended in the course of presenting the benchmarks of our project development process to like minds and peers among national leaders and private sector stakeholders," the state-run firm, which operates and maintains the Clark Civil Aviation Complex in Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga, said.

The CIAC recently bared its plan to build a 40-hectare entertainment complex with an estimated cost of P32 billion, targeted to be completed by 2028.

The planned entertainment center includes the Clark World Convention and Events Hub, which the CIAC said has "stirred up much excitement at the idea of building a world-class arena where we can host the likes of Taylor Swift and Coldplay."

"Indeed, the Eras Tour has shown everyone the incredible potential of tourism and the MICE industries (meetings, incentives, conventions, and exhibitions) to boost national economies," it said.

Last Saturday, Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco said she attended a meeting in Clark regarding the utilization of the Clark airport, but noted that she nothing to do with the CIAC presentation.

"CIAC President Arrey Perez's future plans and the presentation he made to build a concert venue are his and his alone. Any attribution made to me stating otherwise is an outright lie," Frasco said in a Facebook post.

For its part, the CIAC said the Tourism Department had no hand in developing the viral presentation deck.

"We are grateful to the Department of Tourism - Philippines for their unequivocal support for Clark and in giving us the creative freedom, as they had no hand in developing the viral deck, to present our vision for the performance arena," CIAC added.

"CIAC's ambitious projects, including the Clark National Food Hub to address food security under the agriculture sector, will transform Clark as a masterplanned mixed-use development to ensure a flourishing ecosystem for businesses and communities to thrive," it said.

"Hopefully, not only our Taylor Swift slide goes viral, but also the will and excitement to help us build Clark as our Airport City," it added. — VDV, GMA Integrated News