With Management Company Out, Stadium's Future is Uncertain in Cape Town

The city of Cape Town had justified the major expense it was taking on to build the brand new Green Point Stadium for the 2010 World Cup by pointing to the fact that it had contracted a management group to make sure the stadium remained in use and pulled in revenue. But now that company has pulled out and the city's $639 million stadium is treading towards white elephant territory.

Capetonians are divided over whether the stadium is an elegant icon or a useless monument to South Africa’s excessive spending on the World Cup. Other stadiums – such as the 45,000-seater Mbombela stadium in Nelspruit, which cost R1.3bn (€134m), and the Peter Mokaba stadium in Polokwane (cost: R1.25m) were always expected to become white elephants. But Cape Town’s stylish stadium was the most expensive of the 10 World Cup venues, leading everyone to believe that the number crunchers considered it sustainable.

The empty stadiums: South Africa’s white elephants
Monocle
October 21, 2010

Success on Cape Town's Fan Walk

This post from Cool Town Studios gives a favorable review of the Cape Town Fan Walk, a pedestrianized 1.6 mile/2.6 kilometer promenade connecting the Green Point Stadium with the central business district.

You can’t ask for a more entertaining walk, or rather, experience. What’s more, it’ll be a cultural showcase of the best Cape Town and South Africa have to offer in terms of local food (braai, potije, boerewors, gourjons…) to local entertainment (from live bands to drum circles).

Now, in the spirit of crowdsourcing, with the tremendous success of the Fan Walk demonstrated by the enthusiastic crowds, should there by any surprise that the local government is now looking at making it more of a permanent feature?

Also linked this video about planning the Fan Fest:



Cape Town’s spectacular World Cup fan walk
Cool Town Studios
July 9, 2010

The Story Behind Green Point's Unlikely Choice as Cape Town's World Cup Venue

A recent investigation reveals how FIFA encouraged the government to use Cape Town's Green Point as the site of the city's World Cup venue, despite another stadium being fit to host the event. The investigation is one chapter in the new book "Player and Referee: Conflicting interests and 2010 Fifa World Cup", which was released by the Institute for Security Studies

In the chapter by Schoonbee and Brummer, they outline how Fifa and the Local Organising Committee (LOC), "effectively Fifa's agent", pressed the City of Cape Town into signing off a last-minute decision against the preferred venue, Athlone Stadium.

South Africa's initial World Cup bid fingered Newlands Stadium as Cape Town's venue. Fifa accepted this, but the 40 000 seater would not be able to stage any games beyond a quarterfinal. Athlone, however, was the City of Cape Town's choice.

How Green Point beat Athlone for 2010 stadium
Independent Online
April 29, 2010

Two New Stadia Pass Muster

Brand new stadia in Cape Town and Polokwane have opened, and have successfully passed their first tests of readiness.

The Cape Town Stadium hosted a local derby between Santos and Ajax Cape Town while the Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane held an-all day tournament and both stadiums passed the first test of their readiness for the big event in June.

The Peter Mokaba Stadium is one of the five new stadiums that were built up from the dust. It will host four group stage matches including a much anticipated clash between France and Mexico. On Saturday, the stadium held just one less match than it would in the entire World Cup, with no complications.

World Cup venues pass first test
ESPN
January 24, 2010

Typo Puts Stadium Up for Lease at 1 Rand Per Year

Two mistakes in the lease agreement for the City of Cape Town's new World Cup stadium have reduced its price from 100,000 Rand to 1 Rand. City officials say the mistake is immaterial.

The error was repeated twice - in digits and words - in the lease agreement.

But the city says the mistake is nothing to worry about, because the lease agreement obliges the operator to pay the greater amount of either the base rental of R1 or 30 percent of the operator's profit before tax.

The R1 stadium bungle
Cape Argus
November 24, 2009

Testing Cape Town's New Stadium

A soccer match, a rugby match and a mass prayer will serve as test events for Cape Town's new Green Point soccer stadium. The events will gradually build up the amount of attendees to see how well the stadium handles the crowds, and how its operators will react to game-day audiences.

The city and the Sail Group, part of the consortium which is to manage the stadium, are trying to hold a mass event which will fill the stadium but be gentle on the turf - so are considering a cultural or religious event.

It is hoped that the final full dress rehearsal will be a mass prayer gathering. It will aim to fill the stadium to capacity.

This will be the final chance to test access and egress routes for the 68 000-strong crowd - as well as everything else from the public address system and lights to turn-styles and barcode scanners.

World Cup: Stadium put to the test
Cape Argus
October 6, 2009

Green Point Stadium 1 Rand Lease Deal Irks Locals

The city of Cape Town is on the verge of sealing a deal with a French-South African consortium to lease the 4.5 billion Rand ($610 million USD) Green Point soccer stadium. Under the proposed agreement, the company would only have to pay 1 Rand per year to lease the stadium, unless it is able to clear a profit. Many assume the stadium will likely be profitable, but others are concerned that the high public price tag is being gambled.

Despite fears that the venue will become a costly white elephant after the 2010 Fifa World Cup, the city is pushing ahead with a controversial deal with a French-South African consortium. The city hopes to receive a 30% share of the after-tax profits of the SAIL Stadefrance Operating Company.

If the operator does not make a profit, however, the city will recover just R1 a year in rent while spending millions more on maintaining the stadium. To be viable, the building will have to host between 20 and 40 events a year.

Rent row hits stadium
City Press
October 4, 2009

The Development of Green Point Stadium

Pitch Invasion offers this look at the current state of development at Cape Town's Green Point Stadium. Post includes some great pictures and some video.

Green Point Stadium will host eight games at the 2010 World Cup, including a semi-final, and will have a capacity of 68,000 at a cost of R3 billion (approx. $400M). It is being constructed on the site of the now demolished old Green Point Stadium, an 18,000 capacity stadium home to both Santos Football Club and Ajax Cape Town.

World Cup Stadia 2010: Green Point Stadium
Pitch Invasion
June 23, 2009

Green Point Stadium to Cost Four Times Original Estimate

The Green Point stadium in Cape Town is expected to cost taxpayers 4.4 billion Rand (~$534 million) -- more than four times the original cost estimate.

The City of Cape Town still needs R570-million to pay for it.

The price of the stadium - the biggest single cost of hosting the 2010 World Cup in Cape Town - has increased by almost R1bn a year from its initial estimation of R1.2bn in February 2006.

It has even exceeded the maximum estimate of R4.18bn which an assessment of alternative stadium sites in July 2006 determined a new stadium would cost.

South Africa, are we ready?
Independent Online
June 11, 2009

Webcams Offer Live View of Stadium Progress

This great post from Marc Forrest shows feeds from webcams monitoring construction progress at six World Cup host stadia. The following stadia are shown:

-Soccer City, Johannesburg
-Green Point Stadium, Cape Town
-Moses Mabhida Stadium, Durban
-Nelson Mandela Stadium, Port Elizabeth
-Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit
-Peter Mokaba Complex , Polokwane

This is a very cool way to see how things are coming along. Refresh the page for the most up-to-date images.

2010 FIFA World Cup Stadium Webcams
MarcForrest.com
June 12, 2009

Cape Town's Green Point Stadium Developing into 'Great Beauty'

A reporter ventures inside Cape Town's Green Point stadium, one of the new stadia being built for the 2010 World Cup. Inside the as-yet-unfinished stadium, the reporte finds much to like.

A number of cranes are still stationed around the perimeter as the glass "roof" is still being installed.

Although 30 percent of the work is still to be completed, the stadium is a work of beauty.

I look up and walk in a small circle, marvelling at the architectural and engineering feat. From outside the stadium has sexy curvy lines reminding one of the Atlantic Ocean which it overlooks.

From a distance it looks to me like a large sailor's hat, which is rather apt for Cape Town being a port city.

Green Point stadium's a thing of great beauty
Cape Argus
June 13, 2009

Cape Town to Stop Irrigating Green Point With Drinking Water

Cape Town has announced a "green" plan to irrigate the city's World Cup stadium, opting to use non-potable spring water to irrigate the stadium and the nearby Green Point park, as opposed to the drinking water that had been used in the past.

The City of Cape Town has approved a R15 million "green" project to irrigate 2010 Soccer World Cup stadiums, an official said on Thursday.

After several green options were considered the city decided to use underground spring water for irrigation, said Alderman Clive Justus, mayoral committee member for the city's utility services.

"The final report identified the use of underground spring water from a few natural springs situated above the Molteno Reservoir in the city bowl as being the most favourable solution," he said in a statement.

...Until now, the Green Point Common, which includes the Metropolitan Golf Course, had been irrigated with pure drinking water.

"However, in keeping with the objectives of the 2010 World Cup Project - which also includes the reconfiguration of the Green Point Common - the need to reduce the long-term demand on potable water to irrigate the area was identified at an early stage."

Source:
Cape Town soccer stadiums go green
Independent Online
May 7, 2009

Weather Not Likely A Delaying Factor for Green Point Stadium

Despite concerns over a wet and windy winter, construction on Cape Town's Green Point Stadium is expected to complete on time.

Contractors building the multimillion-rand Green Point Stadium are bracing themselves for a few months of heavy rains and gale-force winds, seven-and-a-half months ahead of the deadline to complete the World Cup venue.

That's according to Andrew Fanton, project manager of the Green Point Stadium construction site.

...Parts of the 68 000-seater World Cup stadium's glass roof were fitted on Thursday and it is expected to be completed by September.

Thereafter, the grass pitch, which is being grown on a farm in Stellenbosch, and the stadium seats will be installed.

Fanton said the stadium's internal finishes, which include the VIP suites, boardrooms, change rooms and bathrooms, will be completed by July, and the external facade by August.

Source:
Winter threat to Green Point stadium
Cape Argus
May 1, 2009

Green Point's Glass Roof Underway and On Schedule

The unique glass roof structure that is planned to top Cape Town's Green Point Stadium is now being put into place and is expected to complete on schedule in September.

Dave Hugo, the city council's 2010 technical director, said everything was going well, with 72 trusses already in place to support the roof.

The glass structure, made of laminated sheets 16mm thick, will weigh 1 500 tons and fill an area of 37sq km.

Engineers hope to finished with the roof construction in September.

"No other stadiums (in the world) are using glass, they use other materials," said Hugo.

...The whole roof construction is expected to cost about R475-million.

Source:
Stadium's glass roof a world first
Cape Times via Independent Online
April 24, 2009

Update on Green Point Stadium Progress

This press release from FIFA offers a brief glimpse at the status of Cape Town's Green Point Stadium, which is apparently on track for its September 2009 completion date.

The 15-floor high, 68,000-seater Green Point Stadium will host eight 2010 FIFA World Cup matches, including a quarter-final and semi-final. The arena is on track to be completed by 14 December 2009.

The inner ring of the roof structure was successfully raised and installed mid-February 2009. The 4,500-ton roof, which includes some 9,000 individual pieces that make up the glass surface, is scheduled for completion in September 2009. The roof design is a world first and meets a number of strict environmental and technical requirements.

Source:
Green Point Stadium puts on a show
FIFA
April 23, 2009

Green Point Partners with Tourist Information Company for Cab Broadcasts

Soccerwires reports that the Green Point Visitors Centre in Cape Town has partnered with a company called Tourism Radio to broadcast information about the World Cup during the event to tourists in hired cars and cabs near the stadium.

In preparation for the 2010 FIFA Soccer World Cup, Tourism Radio has increased production and distribution of their devices to meet the needs of the hoards of tourists visiting the country during the games. Aiming to maximise the pleasure of self drive holidays, Tourism Radio hope to be talking to over 2000 tourists a day by the time the first football is kicked off. The partnership with the Green Point Stadium Visitors Centre means that Tourism Radio is one step closer to making that hope a reality.

Source:
Tourism Radio partners with Green Point Stadium
Soccerwires
April 2009

Cape Town Stadium Growing on Locals

Originally opposed by many in the city, Cape Town's new Green Point stadium is taking shape and generating less criticism.

It could be argued that Cape Town didn’t need a R4.5-million stadium for the 2010 World Cup. Now that it is a reality, though, it is an impressive and visually pleasing structure. The new Green Point Stadium could be one of the world’s great sporting venues if it can be sustainable after the football circus has come and gone.

It will even glow gently at night, thanks to an outer “skin” of glass fibre and Teflon, which will admit light during the day and emit a glow when the floodlights are on.

Many of the original objections of residents seem to have fallen away.

Source:
’Living in harmony with the Mountain’
The Times
April 11, 2001

Cape Town's Green Point Stadium 'On Track'

This video from the Times shows progress at Cape Town's Green Point Stadium, one of the new stadia being constructed for the 2010 tournament. The stadium will contain 68,000 seats for the World Cup, a total that will be reduced to 55,000 after the World Cup.



Source:
Green Point Stadium on track
The Times