POLITICS

Municipal entity to manage more than stadium - Cape Town

City says boundary extended to include management of entire Green Point Urban Park precinct

Boundary of municipal entity to manage Cape Town Stadium to be extended

In March this year, the City’s Council approved the establishment of a municipal entity to manage and operate the Cape Town Stadium on behalf of the City. It is proposed that the boundary be extended to include the management of the entire Green Point Urban Park precinct. Read more below:

The original boundary of the municipal entity was limited to the area immediately surrounding the Cape Town Stadium. The City of Cape Town intends extending the functions of the municipal entity to include the management of the Green Point Urban Park, which was originally envisaged when the municipal entity was first recommended in January 2014. The original 2014 recommendation included the Green Point Urban Park in its analysis and business plan.

The proposed extended boundary will include the Green Point Athletics Track, all the sports fields, the golf course, and the urban park.

All interested and affected parties are able to submit their comments and input on the proposal to extend the functions of the municipal entity from today, 21 July 2017 until 21 August 2017.

‘We have identified the need for an integrated approach for the management of the wider precinct. Therefore we are proposing that the original larger precinct be managed by the municipal entity. As part of our Organisational Development and Transformation Plan, we need to optimise the use of our natural and strategic assets in an integrated manner,’ said the City’s Acting Mayoral Committee Member for Finance, Councillor Stuart Diamond.

The Cape Town Stadium, Green Point Athletics Track, and the Green Point Urban Park have over the past eight years received increased attention as priority assets in terms of event hosting, destination profiling, integrated spatial and facility management, environmental and heritage management, and commercial and economic development for the City.

‘Currently these assets are managed as a separate unit from other community and recreational facilities located in the urban park. This has over the years created differing operating and management standards, a fragmented approach to hosting events, and multiple entry points into the City pertaining to matters on this precinct. The need to consolidate all operations into an integrated management structure for greater impact is thus required. Commercial opportunities within these assets and sites will require a coordinated and integrated approach from a centralised position,’ added Councillor Diamond.

The functions of the entity would include general facility and operations; events and entertainment services management; commercialisation, marketing and hospitality management; finance, legal and administration management; and management of the Green Point Urban Park precinct.

The additional management requirements will necessitate an increased staff complement. A further six staff members would be seconded to the municipal entity. As with the other staff members, due process will be followed in respect of the secondment. The staff complement would be increased from 38 to 44.

The municipal entity will have the right of use over the Stadium precinct in terms of a long-term lease. A service delivery agreement will be entered into in respect of the management and operation of the Stadium and Green Point Urban Park precincts.

This entity will be a State-owned company, fully owned by the City.

Statement issued by Media Office, City of Cape Town, 21 July 2017