The Fifa world cup to be held in 2010, and the associated Confederations Cup in 2009, presents incredible opportunities for South Africa and the Free State. South Africa Tourism reports that tourism currently makes up 8.2% of the national gross domestic product (GDP), amounting to R79-billion, but that the World Cup is likely to push that figure up to 12% by 2010. The 2006 Fifa World Cup in Germany, by way of example, boosted that country’s GDP by R63.68-billion.

Bloemfontein’s Vodacom Park stadium (to be known as Free State Stadium for the 2009 Fifa Confederations Cup and 2010 Fifa World Cup) will host four matches in the 2009 Confederations Cup (including South Africa vs Spain and a semifinal) between 15 and 24 June. Six World Cup games are scheduled for Bloemfontein between 14 and 27 June 2010.

In April 2009, the newly refurbished stadium showed off its gleaming new colours when it hosted a double-header of a different sort: a rugby match featuring local team, the Cheetahs, and a soccer match between Bloemfontein Celtic and national giants, Orlando Pirates. The stadium was packed to its new capacity for the latter match, as Celtic’s devoted fans filled the stands. By all accounts, systems checks went well and what amounted to a dry run for the Confederations Cup was successful.

Bloemfontein beds
With the expected influx of visitors to Bloemfontein, as many as 20 000 beds may be required. In 2005, only 7 500 were available, a figure which had jumped to 10 884 by June 2008. It is clear that the city itself will not be able to make up the deficit, so surrounding towns are being pulled into the network, including Welkom, Ladybrand, Kroonstad and Parys (on the road to Johannesburg). Even destinations like Clarens, in the north-east, Kimberley (Northern Cape) and Maseru (Lesotho) are being targeted as satellite sites for accommodation. Estimates in 2009 pointed to 15 000 beds being available.

Protea Hotels opened the four-star Willow Lake hotel in March 2009, close to the stadium and even closer to the city zoo’s elephants. But hotels alone will not be able to absorb the great number of soccer followers. The secret will be to grow the accommodation profile of the city and province in such a way that it remains sustainable.

An excellent model has been provided by the innovative members of the tourism sector in Bothaville. Through their association, the Maize Capital Tourism Forum, these northern Free Staters solved the problem of how to accommodate large numbers of tourists who only visit a place for a short period of time. Bothaville hosts an annual maize festival that attracts tens of thousands to the small town. The solution was to create part-time guest houses and bed-and-breakfasts, complete with a grading system and central bookings.

As they say, ‘n boer maak ’n plan’, and this model is one that could easily be replicated for the World Cup.

Stadium
The premier provincial stadium was built in 1952 and has been the scene of many exciting sporting events. Four local construction concerns, operating under the joint name of RMIP, were granted the huge task of transforming the stadium from a 38 000 seater to a 46 000 seater by adding a second tier to the main grandstand. In addition, the consortium was expected to improve and expand every facility within the arena. ACG Architects were the designated architectural firm. Changes and upgrades included: 100 new private suites and a 650-seat VIP suite; more parking; bigger media facilities; better floodlighting; modern crowd-control amenities; medical and doping control areas; improved change rooms; state-of-the-art turnstiles; and an entirely new ticketing system.

The national government contributed R221-million to the stadium work, the provincial government R64-million and Mangaung Municipality R20-million. Despite the large amount of work done to the stadium, the upgrade was completed under the final budget. This unexpected windfall created more work for other contractors to take on the refurbishment of the nearby Seisa Ramabodu Stadium, which will be used as a training venue during the international tournament. Botshabelo Stadium has also received some very welcome attention and will play a support role.

Various access roads to the stadium, such as Donald Murray Street and Nelson Mandela Drive, have been widened and an intermodal publictransport facility is being built at the city’s main taxi and municipal bus terminuses for about R400-million. This is funded by the national government as part of its overarching transport plan for the World Cup.

Sustainability
An important part of the stadiums being constructed around South Africa is that they should be versatile, multipurpose facilities that support various sporting codes and engage all elements of the communities that they serve. Their continued and sustained use after the World Cup is as important a factor in their development, as is their meeting with the guidelines laid down by Fifa for becoming host venues. The stadiums themselves were not designed in isolation, but rather with the greater vision of community and social development in mind.

National government allocated R8.4-billion for the planning and construction of stadiums all over South Africa, broken down as follows:
• R7.62-billion for construction and upgrading
• R580-million for utilities and service provision to the stadiums
• R200-million for overlay at each stadium

The long-term sustainability of the stadium seems assured, with the four big teams from both major football codes likely to continue to use it into the future. Even so, Mangaung Municipality intends to look beyond these sources of income and turn the venue into a multipurpose facility. Adding to the attractiveness of the stadium is its location within a recreational precinct, which is quite unique in South Africa.

Various superb venues for sports such as cricket (a Test-match venue abuts the stadium), hockey, athletics and tennis are strung out one after the other in a park-like atmosphere. These, in turn, are connected to a splendid garden, an inner-city zoo and a waterfront shopping area, adjacent to Loch Logan. The world-class sporting facilities of Grey College and the University of the Free State are close by to the west and the Bloemfontein Showgrounds are a short walk away to the south.

The Bloemfontein/Mangaung 2010 Business Plan is addressing the information and communications technology requirements for the World Cup and will present further opportunities for locals. Other infrastructure that will be improved as part of the 2010 scheme are the storm-water network, water services, electricity network, waste and disaster management, and medical services. Security plans will also be tested and updated.

Twenty centres for 2010
National government has stressed that the benefits of this World Cup must be felt by all and that they must extend far beyond July 2010 when the trophy, teams and people have left. There are already a number of initiatives set up to address this issue.

One of these is the 20 Centres for 2010 project, which is a fund-raising drive being led by Fifa to construct 20 Football for Hope Centres across Africa. The aim is to raise US$10-million. Fifa and its official sponsors have agreed to donate US$5 000 for every goal scored during the World Cup qualifying games towards the construction of these centres. Each centre will include a football pitch, classrooms and a healthcare facility. If the goal-scorers are on target, as they were in 2006, this donation could amount to as much as US$1-million.

Another initiative is the Dreamfields Project, which will focus on capitalising on the hype surrounding the 2010 World Cup and use the excitement and enthusiasm to raise money for the development of soccer fields and soccer equipment in disadvantaged communities. These initiatives also include training in business skills and the creation of new social partnerships.

A nice touch on the part of Fifa and the event organisers is that the 20 000 workers that helped to build the 10 World Cup stadiums will each receive two free tickets to a match at the stadium on which they worked.

Art for soccer
So proud is Bloemfontein of its status as a Confederations Cup and Fifa World Cup venue that thousands of litres of paint have been poured out to liven up the cooling towers of the town’s decommissioned power plant. Two towers are covered in First National Bank branding, reflecting their sponsor status, and the other two reflect the dynamic work of local artists, showcasing local heroes and indigenous images such as maize, sunflowers and Bushman rock paintings. The towers are 60m high and 70m wide and it took 12 800 square metres of canvas to cover them in preparation for the painting.

KEY CONTACTS
2010 Fifa World Cup South Africa: www.fifa.com/worldcup
Fifa: www.fifa.com
Free State Tourism Authority: www.freestatetourism.org
Mangaung Municipality: www.mangaung.co.za
Project 2010: www.project2010.co.za
South Africa 2010: www.sa2010.gov.za