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Stadium
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The City is building a world-class, FIFA-compliant 68 000-seat stadium in Green Point. This will serve as a semi-final venue in 2010 and a sustainable multi-purpose venue thereafter for ball sports, major events and concerts.
Despite initial concerns about costs, the distance of the stadium in relation to the majority of the city's soccer fans, and objections by residents of the Green Point area, construction is going ahead as planned and is scheduled for completion in October 2009 - a FIFA requirement. The tender has been awarded to a joint venture between Murray & Roberts and WBHO.
After the World Cup, the City will lease the stadium to an operator as a commercial venture for an estimated 30 years. The operating lease will include managing the urban park and Common surrounding the stadium. The top tier of seats inside the stadium will be removed, leaving 55 000 seats, and space to use for income generation.
Factors considered during the planning of the stadium:
- the existence of the solid bedrock just below the surface means that the stadium could not be sunk into the ground, and therefore has to be higher, and more expensive
- The bedrock also necessitates that a podium (or "pedestal") around the stadium bowl be built to house supporting services and the entrance
- The exterior will be covered with noise-reducing cladding in order to reduce noise levels
- The roof is designed in such a way that noise will be reflected back into the stadium
- The stadium design will address concerns about noise, visual impact and financial sustainability that emerged during the Environmental Impact Assessment phase
The City's business plan for the 2010 FIFA World Cup also has three different models to assess the financial sustainability of the stadium, all of which highlight the importance of commercial space to generate income. The low scenario envisages the stadium only hosting large football matches, the base scenario sees it hosting large football matches and international rugby matches, and the high scenario sees it hosting local rugby matches in addition to the abovementioned.
The City had to follow several processes and steps to get the stadium approved and built on time. These include:
- Statutory approval processes
- Environmental Impact Assessment, rezoning, consent use, building plan approval
- Awarding stadium construction tender
- Securing capital funding for the stadium
- Negotiating with Green Point common leaseholders
- Public participation over the future of the Common
- Finding an operator for the stadium after 2010
- The partial demolition of the existing stadium
- Risk assessment at every level
- Linking all the elements necessary for a successful 2010
- Fulfilling all legal requirements
The stadium plans, including acoustic modelling and wind tunnel testing, are being finalised in order to ensure full legislative compliance, before receiving final approval.
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