Stadium Nelson Mandela Review

Following an intensive procurement process, the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality has announced that Access Facilities and Leisure Management (Pty) Limited is the preferred stadium operator bidder for the new Nelson Mandela Bay Multi-purpose Stadium.

The stadium operator contract is being finalised and negotiations to this end (between the NMBM and AFLM) start this week.



The operator will be required to operate, manage and market the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, which is situated at the North End lake, as well as its surrounding urban precinct, which could include the upgrading of the area. The Stadium will host 8 matches of the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™, including a quarterfinal and the 3rd/4th place play-off. It is scheduled for completion in April/May 2009, and activities at the Stadium could take place from as early as May.

According to Nelson Mandela Bay Deputy Executive Mayor, Cllr Bicks Ndoni, "The multi-purpose functionality of the stadium and its world class facilities will ensure its legacy, sustainability and long-term success. By attracting world class sporting and recreational events, before and after the World Cup, the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium will provide a major boost to the economy of the surrounding precinct and the Bay at large. The stadium operator, through its experience and expertise in a wide range of disciplines, must ensure, in partnership with and on behalf of the Municipality, that these objectives are indeed reached."

"We have now started negotiations with Access Facilities and Leisure Management so that we reach agreement on the various areas of responsibility relating to the management and commercial aspects of the stadium operations."

Nelson Mandela Bay 2010 World Cup Director, Errol Heynes says, "Appointing an operator is the next big step in ensuring the stadium is running successfully in time for the 2010 FIFA World Cup and also in making sure that it remains sustainable in the long term. We felt that Access Facilities and Leisure Management displayed the qualities we were looking for in a multi-disciplinary stadium operator, as they have a thorough knowledge and experience of stadium management in respect of football, rugby, other sports, and events; property development and national and international marketing expertise."

The stadium operator procurement process, which began a year ago, was co-ordinated by the Mandela Bay Development Agency (MBDA). Chief Executive of the MBDA, Pierre Voges, says: "The MBDA was established as the development arm of the NMBM and has a specific mandate to facilitate tourism and infrastructure development. We believe that the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium has a large role to play as a catalyst in the revitalisation of the CBD and the areas surrounding the stadium - the North End Precinct. The Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium will also attract people back into the city when they come to watch big sporting events that will inevitably happen there. Revitalizing a city is really all about getting people to want to come back into the city centre, and to enjoy being there."