THE Cebu Landmasters Inc. (CLI) is set to transform the Matina Golf and Country Club into a central business district of Davao City, similar to the Cebu IT Park.
The joint venture of CLI with the Yuson, Huang, and Tan families of transforming the 9-hole and 18-hectare golf course in Matina into a business park in the city is already on its master planning stages at the same time its land development, which is targeted to be finished within the year.
Last Friday, May 19, after the official announcement of the development project, Frederick Yuson, president and chief executive officer (CEO) of Yuson Commercial Investments and Jose Soberano III, president and CEO of CLI signed the memorandum of understanding.
"Spread over this 18 or so hectare, which is even expandable to 22 hectares, will be a mall, a civic center. It will retain its golf course ambiance. That will play around in the design of that civic center. It will have hotels," said Soberano.
Soberano added the company is also "going to have rows of residential condos, rows of business process outsourcing buildings and office buildings because this could possibly be a major center for an IT Park."
The CLI is looking at the possibility of putting up a medical center facility and even a graduate school, Soberano said.
"We’re presently talking to La Salle University," Soberano said.
He added that Yuson, being a graduate of La Salle University is already having talks with the university’s board of trustees to put up a graduate school in the business district compound.
Also, they have talked with top hotel brands in the country and these hotels have expressed interest and excitement in the possibility of the project.
Since the mixed-use commercial development is still on its land development phase, the land area allocations for the specific establishments have yet to be finalized as well as the total cost of the entire project.
Soberano, having worked with the Ayala Group of Companies and had helped in developing Cebu IT Park, said the business district will mirror, to a certain extent, the Cebu IT Park but in "a better way."
"This will address the need for a real, modern township because everything will be there," said Soberano, adding this will also be a contributing development in the southern part of the city as there are still less similar developments there.
