Work is now under way at Sun International’s Menlyn Maine project – a major development in Pretoria’s eastern suburbs.
The project at Menlyn Maine has been three years in the making and the entertainment complex is set to become the flagship property of the group when it opens in 2017.
This new venture will create as many as 10 000 jobs during construction and a further 2 200 jobs when the project is completed.
“We have worked extremely hard on this project and are particularly proud of it. After a wave of change and development in the late 1990s, this is the most exciting development in our industry in years. The design was finalised after drawing on the experience of not only South Africa’s urban casino complexes but a study of the latest trends internationally,” says Sun International CEO Graeme Stephens.
Architecturally, the building is wrapped in glass so that it has a contemporary feel. There will be a large number of restaurants and bars as well as nightclubs, making it the entertainment hub of the city.
An indoor 8 000-seater arena means that Tshwane can now host major concerts and exhibitions, and the five-star hotel and conference centre will cater to the needs of the diplomatic travel market, recognising Pretoria’s positioning as the diplomatic hub of South Africa and home to embassies from around the world.
The casino, with 2 000 slot machines and 60 tables, will be one of the largest in the country, second only to the group’s GrandWest casino, in Cape Town.
“Sun International will invest billions into Tshwane and Gauteng’s tourism infrastructure and we believe that this unique project links well with the provincial government and the City of Tshwane’s vision for quality urban renewal and sustainable development,” says Stephens.