First turf gets turned in The Boardwalk’s major renovation

GOVERNMENT officials, VIPs and staff members today gathered for the symbolic sod-turning ceremony that signals the start of the construction phase of the R1-billion expansion project at The Boardwalk, one of Nelson Mandela Bay’s most popular attractions.

The new-look Boardwalk will include a five-star hotel boasting 140 rooms with its own health spa, fitness centre and heated pool, an international-standard, multi-purpose convention centre, a new smoking casino, the latest gaming machines, more retail shops, an 874-bay parkade under the new convention centre and hotel. It will also include the Boardwalk Multimedia Lake Spectacular, the largest musical water extravaganza South Africa has ever seen.
Speaking at the ceremony, Emfuleni Resorts Chairman Bongi Siwisa said The Boardwalk project would make a significant contribution to job creation and income generation in the Eastern Cape.

“During the 24 month construction phase, more than 5 000 direct and indirect jobs will be created and sustained,” she said.

“It is estimated that the total number of direct jobs would increase by approximately 480 to around 2 100 once the development is fully completed. Additionally, the total number of direct and indirect jobs would almost double from around 4 000 in 2009 to over 8 000 in 2025, by which time The Boardwalk is expected to have contributed as much as a cumulative R26-billion to indirect household income.”

Both the Eastern Cape province and the national fiscus stand to benefit materially from taxes, levies and fees generated by the new, expanded Boardwalk. In 2013, which will be the first full year of operations of the completed new facilities, an estimated R156-million will be contributed to Government. By 2025 the total will have risen to R607-million, while the cumulative contribution to GDP could amount to as much as R50-billion.

The R1-billion expansion project was central to Emfuleni Resorts’ successful bid which resulted in it being awarded a new 15-year operating licence by the Eastern Cape Gambling and Betting Board in October last year.

Through its investment in The Boardwalk, Emfuleni Resorts has been a pioneer of black economic empowerment in the Eastern Cape. At present the company has an effective black shareholding of 52,1%, with an Eastern Cape-based black shareholding of 35,6%.

There are no reservations about the success of the new-look Boardwalk. According to Siwisa, once the new facilities are in place, sustained marketing by both The Boardwalk and Sun International’s global network will draw additional tourists and day visitors to Nelson Mandela Bay.

“The Boardwalk is already a tourism icon for Nelson Mandela Bay with over 30 million visitors to date,” she said. “With the new facilities in place, The Boardwalk will be positioned as a significant and exciting tourism product within South Africa, creating new opportunities for other leisure industry stakeholders in the region.”

The new state-of-the-art, 3 000 m² multi-purpose Convention Centre will meet the need for an international-quality convention centre in Nelson Mandela Bay, enabling it to get a slice of the lucrative local and international convention business. Seating up to 2 400 (theatre style), the centre has been designed for quick turn-arounds, converting from a concert venue one night to an international conference facility the next day.

Siwisa also announced that Emfuleni will support major events such as the annual Splash Festival and the Iron Man competition that have the potential to attract visitors from around the country and the world to the cultural heartland of South Africa.