PHILIPPINE Basketball Association chairman Ricky Vargas delivers the opening remarks during the start of the league’s 44th season at the Philippine Arena in this file photo. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

A massive and ambitious plan of building a permanent home of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) is in the works.

It, however, won’t be an arena or a coliseum – but a huge office building where all the amenities that the league, the players, the coaches and officials need.

PBA chairman Ricky Vargas announced this plan during the 25th PBA Press Corps Awards Night late Monday, saying that it’s high time for the country’s top basketball league to have a place it can call its home.

“There is also the major matter of fulfilling our dream with the PBA at 44 years old to stop renting office space,” said Vargas, who received the President’s Award for his rule in uniting the PBA Board of Governors and leading the league’s all-out support to the national team.

Vargas, who also leads the Philippine Olympic Committee, said the board had already put this plan into motion, making it the very first time for Asia’s first professional basketball league to have a permanent address since being founded in 1975.

“The board has started talking about building our own home, the home of the PBA, which I hope we’re all excited for,” said Vargas, who also serves as governor of Talk ‘N Text.

The PBA has yet to have a permanent home.

It used to hold office in a building somewhere in Ortigas Avenue before moving to a space in Philsports compound in Pasig City and Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay City.

Right now, it is renting a small, one-floor office somewhere in Libis in Quezon City.

Based on the initial blueprint, the PBA will have a large, multiple-floor building, probably in Quezon City due to its proximity to key venues.

It will include the league offices, fitness gym, training facilities and a chapel.

“Chairman Vargas already divulged the plan, but it’s still under review, especially the cost and location,” said league commissioner Willie Marcial, hinting that they will put up additional amenities depending on the discussion of the PBA board.

“We already have two possible venues: one in Quezon City and the other is to be announced soon. The plan is not an arena, but an office building with a practice gym. It will be our permanent home.”

Marcial stressed that the league has yet to decide on the definite date of groundbreaking, but they are looking to start it within the year.

“The board will still discuss it, including its accessibility and total cost. We will also see if the PBA can shoulder its total cost or the league will borrow from banks,” he said. “Let’s see.

There’s no date yet, but chairman Vargas wants the construction to begin this year.”

This was not the first time for the PBA to introduce the construction of a building.

Back in 2006, with Vargas also the chairman, the league planned to put up the PBA Arena, a billion-peso endeavor that would allow the league to do away with venue rental.

It was revisited in 2010 when Sta. Lucia governor Buddy Encarnado spearheaded the data-gathering process for a possible new coliseum.

But the plan bogged down as Marcial, then serving as the league’s media bureau chief, raised possible concerns such as their lack of manpower to maintain a massive arena the whole year since the league only holds games every other day.

It also requires technical expertise and more marketing and operations staff so they can market it for other events like concerts, ceremonies and assemblies to raise income whenever the league takes a break.

But more than that, the price tag of P4 billion appeared to be too steep 10 years ago.