Business mogul Bobby Ongpin of Alphaland Development Corp. is pouring close to P3 billion to develop Alphaland Makati Place (AMP) located within a one-hectare property in Malugay St. in the heart of Makati. AMP’s crowning glory will be the “City Club” –touted to be “the first urban club catering to the business, social, wellness, lifestyle and fitness needs” of members. Obviously, the City Club will go head-to-head against the Tower Club whose members come from the elite in business and society.

The Tower Club occupies two storeys at the Philamlife Tower in Paseo de Roxas with restaurants, lounges, boardrooms, and a health club exclusively for its members who are top business executives and leaders. City Club, however, is upping the ante. Located on the 4th, 5th and 6th floors, City Club will be made accessible only by private elevator from the basement parking to the drop off areas – giving it that very private and exclusive feel.

Scheduled to open by the end of 2012, it will offer a host of amenities and facilities, among them seven specialty restaurants; a fully-equipped, state-of-the-art athletic complex plus indoor tennis, basketball and badminton courts; a wellness spa; and exclusive, full-service and fully-wired function rooms for private and corporate meetings. Since Alphaland Makati Place will also have residential towers, the City Club has seen fit to include family “bonding” moments by including a children’s play area, daycare and learning center, a kiddie pool and even a Wii room.

We were told that membership to the City Club is at P2 million per share for its initial offering – which no doubt would go higher once the project goes full blast.