The Amoranto Sports Complex was inaugurated in 1966 by then President Ferdinand Marcos. The facility was constructed at the cost of ₱2 million on a government owned site on Roces Avenue. The facility then consisted of a grandstand, an eight lane track and field oval, bleachers and a gymnasium.[1]
The sports complex fell into disuse in the 2010s with its last competition being the 2013 POC-PSC Philippine National Games. Filipino national cyclists resided inside the complex until 2017 but seldom used the complex's dilapidated velodrome. There are plans to renovate the venue since 2016. The velodrome's specification has fallen behind international standards and it was proposed that a new velodrome be built.[2][3]
In 2022, renovation plans for the sports complex was publicized. It includes the construction of the 3,500-seater Amoranto Arena, and a 10-lane Olympic-size swimming pool. It also includes the implementation of a tennis area for the Amoranto Indoor Sports Facility.[4][5] In January 2023, the venue was declared fit to host international tournaments.[6] In 2024, Amoranto Arena is used as the primary home venue of the Quezon City Toda Aksyon of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL).
Facilities
Olympic swimming pool
The Amoranto Sports Complex covers land measuring about 5.8 hectares (14 acres). The main stadium has a capacity of 15,000. The sports facility was named after former Quezon City Mayor Norberto Amoranto.[7]
Several renovations have been done on the Amoranto Sports Complex since its opening. Currently, the sports facility features a tennis court, six badminton courts, a martial arts facility, a swimming pool,[8] as well as a multipurpose gym, and a separate gym dedicated to boxing and weightlifting. The Amoranto Sports Complex also hosts a library for students.[7]
The complex's velodrome[9] hosted the cycling events for the 2005 Southeast Asian Games.[10] The only known velodrome in the country has been demolished as of 2024 as the city government plans to replace the area with a different venue, while the opening of a replacement track cycling facility at a different location is still yet to be announced by the Philippine Sports Commission.[11]
^ ab"Sports and Fitness". Quezon City Official Website. Quezon City Government. Archived from the original on August 15, 2016. Retrieved August 1, 2016.