On April 12, 2011, SM Prime Holdings held a ground-breaking ceremony at the mall's location.[2]
SM Prime Holdings President Hans Sy said that the company has made adjustments to its destination mall project at SRP, in terms of budget allocation to ₱8.5 billion, from the original budget of ₱6 billion. The whole SM Seaside Complex costs ₱30 billion.[3]
On November 27, 2015, SM Seaside opened and many shoppers flocked the mall, causing major traffic in the South Road Properties area. And during that night, a fireworks display was held to celebrate the opening of the large mall.[4]
The SM Seaside is a circular-shaped retail mall with multiple anchors, including a two-story SM Store (formerly The SM Store), SM Supermarket, a Centerstage theater, a Large Screen format cinema, two Director's Club cinemas, and 4 regular cinemas, an 18-lane SM Bowling and Amusement Center, and an Olympic-size ice skating rink across the food court.[5]
Large Screen Cinema
The Large Screen Cinema features a super-sized screen almost 30% larger than the regular cinema screen size. This format uses the Christie 6P laser projection system and features a super-sized screen almost 30% larger than the regular cinema screen size. The Christie 6P laser produces the brightest images with 80% illumination and offers the best 3D platform that accurately reproduces the colors of the actual movie set, developing the most immersive cinema experience. The SM Large Screen Cinema also proudly uses the Dolby Atmos Sound System and the top-of-the-line Christie Vive Speakers, its audience fully immersed in surround-sound technology. It will house 351 guests in stadium-like seats.[6] The technology in this cinema is similar to Dolby Cinema, which also uses Christie projectors.
This 147-meter tall tower is located on the center of the mall.[7] There are plans for restaurants, coffee shops and a viewing deck at the top of the tower which will provide people with a 360-degree view of Cebu City and the mall. The tower is still currently unoccupied. The tower is supported by columns of 1500mm x 1500mm dimensions of 21 MPA concrete ultimate compression strength from the foundation up to the third level.[8]
The SM Seaside City Arena is a proposed 16,000-seating capacity indoor arena intended to be built across the shopping mall complex. It is planned to house international concerts and events, and, upon completion, will be the biggest indoor arena in Cebu.[9]
In January 2017, SM Prime Holdings reportedly canceled its plans to build the arena.[11][12] However, plans for the arena resumed in late 2019, with the arena, instead of being within the SM Seaside complex, now placed in the South Coast City, an adjacent mixed-use development co-owned by SM Prime with Ayala Land.[13][14]
