30
CONSTRUCTION WORLD
JUNE
2016
SIGNIFICANT PORT ELIZABETH INVESTMENT PROPOSAL
PROJECTS AND CONTRACTS
Emfuleni will contribute its
land in return for an equity
stake. Parktown Capital are
leading the development and
tenanting, with Sun Interna-
tional ensuring that the mix and
design are complementary to its
existing business, which should
drive footfall and business to
the entire precinct. Set on a 13,3
hectare site within The Board-
walk precinct – envisioned in
its final form to be a mixed-use
lifestyle node situated together
with the natural landmark of
Hobie Beach – The Boardwalk
Mall’s components have been designed to meet the needs of PE’s residents
and visitors.
Emfuleni is making application to the Eastern Cape Gambling and Betting
Board to amend its casino licence for an additional 20 years beyond its
current expiry date of October 2025 in return for this investment. In 2000,
Sun International and Emfuleni originally invested over R500-million to
build the Boardwalk and a further R1-billion to extend its licence thereafter.
Designed to complement The Boardwalk’s other leisure offerings and
serve the needs of surrounding communities, the project will provide local
residents and visitors with a range of retail offerings, activities and attrac-
tions. This will be an essential new component of the broader Boardwalk
precinct, identified and earmarked by the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro as an
important growth node that will accelerate the Metro’s economic growth,
job creation and increased returns to the Province.
The project is designed to deliver on the Eastern Cape Provincial
Government’s objectives in terms of job creation and black economic
empowerment. As many as 8 500 new jobs are envisaged to be created
during a two year construction period and 1 500 jobs during operations.
The new development is planned to include:
• A 35 000 m² mall, offering restaurants, high-end convenience, and
niche retail with eateries and entertainment. It will be arranged
around a revised water feature and the new Sun Park that will be
used to support and host special events and entertainment
• A 2 570 m² multi-purpose events venue
• A 2 000 m² Magic Company including a Laser Tag facility and
bowling alley
• 1 832 m² of movie theatres
• 4 000 m² of corporate offices
• 3 000 parking bays
The Boardwalk Mall will be appropriately and sensitively themed to fit within
the urban fabric of The Boardwalk as a whole in terms of both its visual
impact as well as the anticipated impact from the expected influx of visitors.
The Boardwalk Consortiumalso proposes to provide amore effective and
relevant entertainment icon for the City: the vibrant new Sun Park. The Sun
Park will occupy an area of about half a rugby field, around and incorporating
the revised fountain water feature. It is designed to be a community-centred
entertainment zone to stage and host a wide range of activities from sports
events to staged concerts, open-air cinema, wine-tastings and corporate
launches/tourism exhibitions. The venue will also form part of Sun Inter-
national’s national concert/show circuit.
The range of restaurants and bars at The Boardwalk Mall will represent
a vibrant mix to suit all tastes and all ages, and are spread around the
perimeter of the shopping centre. Both fine dining and popular local brands
will be offered.
Retail planned for the Boardwalk Mall will showcase both local and
imported goods. Shops will be positioned close to all major public entrances
and will appeal to a broad cross-section of residents. Quick service food
and beverage offerings will be located close to the proposed Sun Park
with easy access to the dedicated children’s play area, the crèche, and the
Magic Company.
Said Bongi Siwisa, chairman of Emfuleni Resorts,“The Boardwalk Consor-
tium believes this development fulfils all the requirements for a considered,
well-planned addition to this critical node, and that from the day it opens it
will become a popular regional destination attraction for Nelson Mandela
Bay. An investment of this size – the largest ever in tourism and hospitality
in Port Elizabeth, amply demonstrates our belief and confidence in the long
term potential of the Metro and the Province.”
Emfuleni Resorts recently outlined its proposal
to develop a R1,3-billion mixed use development
on currently under-utilised land in the Boardwalk
Precinct in Port Elizabeth. The Boardwalk Mall
would include a retail mall, a multi-purpose events
venue, entertainment offerings and corporate
offices. Emfuleni, together with partners Parktown
Capital, believe that the current site offers
exceptional opportunities for all.
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