It seems inconceivable that Sun International’s Boardwalk Casino could lose its licence but in August South Africa’s Eastern Cape Gambling and Betting Board will have to name a winner from two opposing bids. Sun International’s Emfuleni Resorts has applied to renew its casino licence for another 15 years, promising to build a R175 million 5-star hotel and international conference centre at its Port Elizabeth site if it is successful.

This week game reserve founder Adrian Gardiner has announced that if rival bidder Embo is granted the sole licence he will build a R380 billion boutique hotel at the harbour to complement Embo’s proposed R1.8 billion waterfront entertainment complex. The project includes two hotels, tourism-related retail facilities, cruise liner terminal, ice rink, Imax cinema, Apple Express station, restaurants, parking and childcare facilities centred round the casino.

Gardiner‘s hotel would combine Shamwari game reserve expeditions with visitors stays and a boxing arena would be constructed to host top fights. Embo plans, if it is awarded the casino licence, to develop the Boardwalk Casino into an international conference centre and establish a rugby excellence academy at the EPRU Stadium.

The Auspex Property Group behind the Embo bid has said that it anticipates redeveloping Port Elizabeth’s inner city area, similar to the urban renewal projects in Johannesburg. The plans for the waterfront development could create up to 8,000 full-time jobs, something likely to prove tempting to local officials and strong competition for Sun International’s licence renewal bid at the Boardwalk. (E-05.01.09)

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