The Araneta Center celebrates the 40th anniversary of the iconic Ali Mall
The first-ever fully enclosed shopping mall in the country.Named after the late legendary world heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali, Ali Mall was inaugurated on June 30, 1976 with Ali himself in attendance. Ali fulfilled his promise to return to the Philippines after winning against Joe Frazier in the “Thrilla in Manila” the year before and was the guest of honor at the event attended by VIPs, government officials, Araneta Center executives, and members of the Araneta family. Though the concept of a mall has since evolved, Ali Mall was the first to house a Cineplex and to introduce the concept of a food court, located at the top most level beside the cinemas. Ali Mall also pioneered the integration of entertainment to the shopping experience with Skatetown, the largest indoor skating rink in its time. Another unique feature was a five-level car park connected to each floor of the shopping area. With its offerings and design features, Ali Mall changed the shopping experience by