CLARK FREEPORT – It’s a name that connotes relaxation, fun and excitement. But this time, Fontana Hot Spring Leisure Park and Casino is prepping up for a more vital pursuit by becoming a venue for the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Conference (APEC).
According to Food and Beverage Assistant Manager Mabel B. Martinez, Fontana is now expanding its Convention Center to accommodate the APEC delegates. Martinez said the Convention Center will be made to accommodate 1,500 persons.
It will be connected to the existing ballroom which has about 500 to 600 seating capacity. “We are preparing now for the APEC because Clark was chosen and approved by the President (Aquino) for the ministerial meetings,” she said, assuring “It will be ready by December.”
Some 1,500 senior ministers of APEC are expected to convene here at Fontana from January 26 to Feb 10 next year, the Department of Foreign Affairs has announced.
Coffee, Tea and Juice Bar
Also doing a complete make-over is the former Piano Lounge, located a few steps from the main lobby, which is now bannered as the Coffee, Tea and Juice Bar. Martinez said it all started when she made a one year plan for the (F&B) division.
“I’m in charge of food and beverage which includes the restaurants, bars and the convention center,” she enthused.
“One of the changes I recommended to the CEO (Manuel Sequiera) is to have a coffee shop at the lobby because I noticed that we have long queues on weekends,” she said “But our lobby is a little bit too small, so the CEO wanted it here in the Piano Lounge where it is more suitable,” she added.
“To give it a little bit more life we changed the name and the concept. So when the owner Jack Lam saw it, he also moved the cake shop here,” said Martinez. “So now it’s a three-in-one shop. You can get your coffee, smoothies and juices as well as your sandwiches and of course the cakes and pastries at reasonable prices,” she added.
For his part, Sequiera said: “When we got our new pastry chef who came from a 5-star hotel, he started producing cakes that we never saw here before so we drew this idea. We have been trying it for three months… it broke all our records…”
F&B
Fontana is also the exclusive partner for food and beverage and sole caterer of the popular Clark International Speedway (CIS) located at the north end of the freeport. Martinez said Fontana will soon be putting up a restaurant and a bar inside the CIS.
