After Ironman, Lapu ready to host basketball, volleyball tournaments

A biker competing in the Ironman 70.3 triathlon race (CDN PHOTO/LITO TECSON)

After the successful hosting of the international sports event, Cobra Ironman 70.3, Lapu-Lapu is looking to attract more sports events into the city.

Mactan is ready to be a sports destination, said  Hembler Mendoza,  Lapu-Lapu City tourism office head, yesterday.

Aside from triathlon events, Mendoza said Mactan has the capacity to host other sports events like basketball, beach volleyball, tennis, and even the latest craze in the watersports world — the flyboarding  competition.

“We want more of these events here. Sports is something everyone loves and if we can get them to hold some of the events here especially the major ones, then we are sure to get more traffic that will benefit not only Mactan but the whole of Cebu,” said Mendoza.

He said basketball games can be held at the Hoops Dome, which has a seating capacity of 7,000.

It is fully-airconditioned including the locker rooms,  a square scoreboard in the middle, and built-in sound system with sound room.

Aside from that, the floor is covered with protective blue rubber matting and the standard cushioning equipment installed below the floor is according to NBA specifications, he said

Beach volleyball can also be held in any resort in the island.

He said that they are now in talks with organizers of beach volleyball competitions which he described as “very promising.”

“The resorts and properties here are very supportive with the direction we are going towards and sports tourism is a growing trend that draws thousands of people into a place,” he said.

Plantation Bay Resort and Spa has been hosting international tennis tournaments which has fueled tourist traffic into Mactan.

Hembler said the flyboard competition is a new trend globally which can be done in any resort in Mactan willing to host it.

“We don’t have a problem with rooms because in the island alone we have about 4,455 rooms across different price points for different markets,” said Mendoza.

Mendoza was referring to the hotels and resorts in Mactan like the Shangri-La Mactan Resort and Spa which hosted the recently-held international triathlon competition, Maribago Bluewater Resort, Movenpick Hotel, Crimson Resort and Spa, the JPark Island Resort Cebu, Plantation Bay Resort and Spa and even Hadsan Beach Resort which is the only resort introducing the flyboarding sport in Cebu.

Visit our Ironman 70.3 page here, complete with photo, updates, stories and more!