MayCo greenlights major private sector upgrade of Bellville Athletics Track, Velodrome
21 April 2026
The City of Cape Town’s Mayoral Committee has greenlit a major private sector upgrade for the Bellville Athletics track and Velodrome by the successful bidder in the 2009 tender for the development of the precinct. The recommendation will now go to the City Council for final approval, clearing the path for a public-private partnership to transform the 11.47-hectare site into a premier world-class sporting and economic hub. At the heart of this development proposal is a firm commitment to the local sporting community: the upgrading of the Bellville athletics track and the retention of public access.
Under the proposal by the successful tenderer, the City will lease the athletics track and Velodrome to the developer on a long-term basis, who will be responsible for upgrading those facilities and their continued operation as event venues. The developer will further purchase identified vacant erven for mixed-use development of the precinct surrounding the Velodrome and athletics track.
‘After years of careful work and negotiation, the City has finally reached a deal that will upgrade the Bellville athletics track and retain it as a public facility, while also upgrading the Velodrome into a world-class concert and events space. With a development partner investing hundreds of millions of private sector funding, the upgraded precinct and facilities will be well-maintained into the future for athletes, schools, and residents. This is a win-win scenario that the City and ratepayers could never have achieved with municipal funding alone. What’s more, the funds raised from the transaction will also benefit many more communities across our city through upgrades to regional sports facilities,’ said Mayor Hill-Lewis.
The upgrade to sporting facilities will enable:
A world-class, multi-purpose indoor arena with a seating capacity of approximately 14 000 to 18 000 spectators
A modern, competition-compliant athletics surface
Improved spectator facilities and accessibility
Support for schools, clubs, and community athletics programmes
The lease of the Velodrome and Athletics track is for an initial period of 50 years, with a conditional option to renew for a further 10 years. Public access and continued public ownership are fundamental to the structure of the transaction.
'The development proposal will unlock the full potential of the velodrome, positioning it as a bigger and better venue capable of hosting world-class events and gatherings. The surrounding land will also be developed for mixed-use purposes, generating meaningful economic benefits and a massive stimulus for the Bellville CBD and the broader N1 economic corridor.
‘This transaction will transform the Bellville Velodrome into a world-class events venue, complemented by mixed-use development on the adjacent undeveloped land, including retail, commercial and residential opportunities. The upgraded athletics track remains an important part of the vision, ensuring the facility continues to support sport while unlocking its broader economic potential. By partnering with the private sector, we are optimising this public asset to attract events, stimulate economic activity, create jobs, and generate both short- and long-term revenue streams.
‘This is how we approach the smart optimisation of the City’s asset portfolio within the Property Development Department of the Economic Growth Directorate, ensuring lasting economic benefits for communities while the City retains these assets for future generations. It is exciting to see this transaction finally reaching the finish line; it has felt like a marathon at times, and it’s rewarding to now think about what lies ahead,’ said Alderman James Vos, Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Growth.
Conclusion to complex legal, economic challenges
Council historically resolved (Resolution C46/10/09) to award Tender 22Q/2008/09 to the successful bidder in 2009, following which the City entered into agreements for the sale of portions of the precinct, and the lease of portions, including the Velodrome.
The first set of sale and lease agreements concluded post-tender were set aside in a subsequent arbitration award after various legal and commercial challenges arose due to the Covid-19 lockdown.
The tender award remains in effect, as do strategic Council decisions, including the 2017 approval of land-use rights and subdivisions to align the properties with their intended development concept, and the 2019 granting of final approval for the transfer and lease of the properties to the successful bidder as per Municipal Asset Transfer Regulations (MATR).
In pursuance of the awarded tender and related Council resolutions, the City recently re-initiated discussions with the successful bidder to explore proceeding with the development under the ambit of the successful tender, which is still in place.
Those negotiations have been successful, and this has resulted in the latest submission of contracts to Council, which introduce necessary technical amendments to the transaction given the lapse of time since the original awarded tender, while fully complying with the City’s legal obligations and Supply Chain Management regulations, and addressing current market demands in the area.
Upgrades to Athletics facilities
Following a comprehensive City of Cape Town Athletics Study in 2021, the City aims to upgrade six Regional Recreational Hubs, and build a new athletics facility in Westridge, Mitchells Plain.
The tracks set for upgrades are Vygieskraal Stadium (Athlone), Mandela Park (Khayelitsha), and Jan Burger (Parow), with upgrades already completed at Wesfleur Sports Ground (Atlantis) and Blue Downs Stadium to the tune of over R60m.
‘Besides the proposed private sector upgrade to Bellville Athletics track and Velodrome, this region will be further served by planned upgrades at Jan Burger, including an estimated R60m track and spectator stand upgrade, followed by a phased multi-purpose centre development at an estimated R80m. Importantly, the City has made provision for a dedicated investment into Vygieskraal Stadium with construction commencing in July 2026, including the reinstatement and upgrade of a cycling track. Overall, we’re so pleased that the transaction is proceeding, giving a clear way forward on the redevelopment of the athletics track in particular supporting our commitment to expanding access to quality sports facilities for communities across Cape Town,’ said Councillor Francine Higham, Mayoral Committee Member for Community Services and Health.
While it is not sustainable to retain the existing cycling track as part of the Velodrome redevelopment, the City recognises the important role this facility has historically played for the cycling community. For this reason, the City is prioritising the upgrade of Vygieskraal Stadium to serve as a central hub for cycling, ensuring that the sport continues to be supported through a dedicated and sustainable facility.
This follows a city-wide cycling feasibility study to assess demand levels for this sporting code and how best to service these sustainably.
The City aims to execute a R20 million upgrade at Vygieskraal in 2026/27, and is due to receive a technical recommendation report following a geotechnical engineer’s investigation of upgrade requirements.
Aside from regional recreational hubs, the City also operates the major Green Point Athletics Track, which is of service to the city’s entire athletics fraternity and has SASREA-accreditation to hold major events.
Caption 1 & 2: Impressions and cross-sections of the upgraded Velodrome event venue
Caption 3 & 4: An impression of the upgraded Bellville athletics track and part of the surrounding precinct
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Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office
