Green Point stadium to cost R1.2bn

cape town's proposed soccer stadium for the world cup in 2010 in green point is expected to cost about 1.2 billion rand and seat 60,000, says sport and recreation minister makhenkesi stofile.

in reply to a question from democratic alliance mp helen zille - who resigned this week as a member of parliament ahead the vote for mayor of cape town in which she is a strong contender - the minister said its completion date was expected to be december 2008 "in line with fifa's schedule and the government guarantees".

an extra 80 million rand was expected to be spent if the stadium was fitted with a retractable roof, he reported.

the minister noted that in november 2005, coca cola international chief executive officer neville isdell, an irish national who studied at the university of cape town "impressed upon fifa the importance of ensuring that cape town played a major role in the 2010 fifa world cup".

the minister said the economic benefits of selecting green point as a world cup venue included the status of the area as "a major tourism hub, and its closeness to different tourist attractions such as the beach, the cape town international convention centre, the v & a waterfront, major hotels as well as affordable holiday accommodation".

he said no architect had "as yet" been appointed to design the stadium.

"design specifications are yet to be issued. these will come from the local organising committee's technical committee after proper consultation with fifa."

the city of cape town had already gone out to tender for the environmental impact study on the project. advertisements were placed on the week-end of february 25 and 26, he reported.

the fifa requirements for parking spaces at each venue would be specified in the stadium design plans. the green goal programme recommended that 50% of spectators arrive by public transport.

stofile said the capital expenditure on the stadium would be carried by the three spheres of government - local, provincial and national. the city was required to submit a business plan by the end of july 2006. the central government would, on the basis of that plan, allocate the city appropriate funding.