New casino to bring billions

When Nelson Mandela said “it always seems impossible until it’s done” he certainly wasn’t talking about building a multi-billion rand casino and entertainment complex. But his words are still applicable.

Sun International’s outgoing chief executive, Graeme Stephens’, media briefing about the company’s R4 billion Time Square development in Tshwane, brought Mandela’s words to mind again. The company says construction is fully on track, with the casino due to open in April.

In the words of Brett Hoppé, general manager for Time Square, which consists of a casino, hotel, conference centre and a multi-purpose arena: “We are nearing completion. It’s down the wire for us.

“We are at that stage where it gets really exciting; where it also speeds up so things start blurring.”

Hoppé said the energy on Wednesday, when 220 full-time staff had come on board, was palpable.

Michael Farr, Sun International’s general manager of brand and communications, said about 10 000 direct and indirect jobs have been created during the construction and the initial fit-out and start-up phase.

After completion, Time Square would have created an estimated 2 200 permanent jobs, with 1 228 jobs being provided by Sun International and a further 972 jobs through service providers.

With 2 000 slot machines and 60 tables, the casino will be South Africa’s second biggest after GrandWest in Cape Town.

The 8 000-seat arena opens in September and the hotel complex in March 2018.

Farr said the development, which forms part of the Menlyn Maine R8-billion Green City, a 315 000m2 mixed-use precinct, would generate considerable revenue.

“About R1.7-billion in gaming taxes and value-added tax will be generated in the first five years, and the total estimated revenue to government over a five-year period is estimated at about R2.7 billion,” Farr said.

Time Square was expected to deliver a cumulative contribution to GDP of approximately R19 billion during the construction phase and the first five years of operations. – ANA

Cape Town

There are still 110 reported cases of rape per day in South Africa, it emerged during the police portfolio committee crime statistics briefing in parliament yesterday.

Although crime was down for the most part, between April and December last year there had been an increase in the number of women being raped and sexually