The Green Point Stadium Visitor Centre has closed its doors after nearly two years of serving as a hub of information for locals and tourists interested in the progress of Cape Town's 2010 FIFA World Cup™ stadium.

The centre, which is situated in what used to be the presidential suite of the old Green Point stadium, is to be demolished before the contractor officially leaves the site on 14 December 2009. The site will be rehabilitated to become the city's new athletics track post-2010.

While a new visitor centre is envisaged after the new stadium officially opens in January 2010, no tours, shows and presentations will be possible before then.

The Visitor Centre opened on 4 December 2007 as joint initiative by the City of Cape Town and the stadium contractor, Murray & Roberts/WBHO. The aim was to keep the public up to date with progress on the construction of the stadium - which is now virtually complete - and to build enthusiasm for the World Cup.

During this time, nearly 80 000 visitors participated in the centre's daily tours and attended other programmes such as the 2010 Lecture Series, 2010 Breakfast Series, and Tuesday Evening Theatre.

The visitors included numerous school groups, which attended free of charge thanks to sponsorship deals, as well as sports and other community groups, and people attending corporate functions held at the Visitor Centre.

Strategic meetings between the City of Cape Town, FIFA and the local organising committee also took place at the Visitor Centre.

Highlights of the Visitor Centre experience included a one-man theatrical performance, The Greensman, which told the history of Green Point Common, and a virtual tour of the stadium.