Pietermaritzburg Stadium Opens

A new stadium has been completed in Pietermaritzburg. The stadium won't be uised for any games during the World Cup, but locals are hoping to lure teams to the city to use the new facility as a training ground.

The stadium is one of several legacy projects for 2010 and can be used for training by any of the visiting World Cup teams, said KwaZulu-Natal cooperative governance MEC Nomusa Dube.

“We are currently lobbying a number of teams to locate in the province for the World Cup,” Dube said.

R85m stadium opens in Pietermaritzburg
Sowetan
February 8, 2010

Richards Bay Pins World Cup Hopes on Practice Stadium

Residents and officials in Richards Bay are hopeful that construction of a 4,000 seat stadium will be complete in time to lure one of the 2010 World Cup competitor nations out to the city as its home base. But locals worry that the stadium will not be complete in time.

[Local uThungulu District 2010 Organiser, Danie] Lubbe warned that all the enthusiasm generated by the anticipated influx of tourists would be nullified if the outstanding funding needed to complete the local stadium was not forthcoming before the 3 February cut-off date. ‘We still require R8.5-million to complete the phase that will make us 2010-compliant. ‘The bulk of this, R7.9-million, is for the installation of the floodlights, while the balance is for equipment. ‘If the money is not here by 3 February, construction will be called off and we can forget any thoughts of being an active part of the World Cup,’ said Lubbe.

Bay eyed for 2010 home base
Zululand Observer