Following public hearings on two rival proposals for the East London casino licence, the Eastern Cape Gambling & Betting Board (ECGBB) of South Africa on Friday, 5 November announced that Tsogo Sun Gaming will retain its present Zone 2 casino licence, which expires in September next year. Ubukhosi Leisure’s plan to revive the East London beachfront with a R500 million investment in a casino and other facilities has lost out to the bid by Tsogo Sun, so Hemingways Casino now will benefit from a R400 million revamp and hotel extension.

The upgrade to the present facilities will include a ‘World at Play’ multi-purpose concept of boxing tournaments, musical shows, banqueting and exhibitions as well as a 3D cinema. Saying that the construction would provide 974 direct and indirect jobs, reaching a total of 1061 direct and indirect jobs once the project is completed, Tsogo Sun Gaming managing director Rob Collins commented, “This is an ambitious project – more jobs, more construction and an even greater focus on social commitments. Who better to deliver this than the Tsogo Sun team at Hemingways?”

Tsogo Sun Gaming, the majority shareholder in Tsogo Sun Emonti, is jointly owned by Tsogo Sun Holdings, the largest black empowerment company in the South African leisure industry, with over 96 hotels and seven casinos nationwide. According to Rob Collins, “The re-awarding of the East London license to Tsogo Sun Emonti is the best possible outcome for the city and its people, ensuring the commitment to the ongoing employment and development of people by one of the country’s top employers.” The new licence is valid for 15 years, commencing on 26 September 2011.

Another positive consequence of Tsogo Sun retaining the Hemingways licence is that the communities and projects in which the company has invested over the last nine years will continue. Projects such as the Touching Lives initiative, which provides educational support in the form of uniforms, allowances and school fees to bright children from the poorest communities, have had a significant impact on the lives of the potential future leaders of South Africa. These programmes will now continue, with an initial R5 million earmarked for social investment. (E-11.08.10)

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