The Eastern Cape Gambling and Betting Board (ECGBB) has finally selected Sun International’s Emfuleni Resorts as the preferred bidder for the Nelson Mandela Bay casino licence in the Port Elizabeth area of South Africa. The choice must be ratified by the MEC but within 30 days the Boardwalk Casino should be able to celebrate the 15 year extension to its licence that was due to expire on 2 October 2010. The merits of the rival bid by Embo Management, which would have seen the Boardwalk turned into a convention centre as part of a harbour redevelopment scheme, have not been sufficient to convince the ECGBB.

Emfuleni is proposing to invest R1 billion in its Boardwalk Casino complex to provide a convention centre of international standard, a 5-star hotel and a new smoking casino. There are plans for the world’s longest water tunnel, musical fountains, additional parking, spa and fitness centre, extra retail outlets and state-of-the-art gaming machines. Boardwalk employees cheered when the ECGBB made the announcement earlier today at Port Elizabeth’s City Hall that Emfuleni was the preferred bidder.

An additional 480 direct jobs should be created by the extension of the Boardwalk complex when completed and by 2025 indirect jobs should double to around 8,300. The Boardwalk is committed to sourcing a minimum 55% of goods and services from local businesses and 65% from BEE suppliers nationally. Emfuleni will contribute 3% of net profit after tax to enterprise development and a further 1% to social investment projects over the 15-year term of its licence. (E-09.16.09)

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