FEA TURE — MOSES M ABHID A
ST ADIU M
RUNNING MOSES MABHIDA STADIUM
Moses
Mabhida stadium is a key asset for Durban.
changing rooms, instead of one big Jacuzzi like you see at many soccer stadiums. In rugby, it is common practice for players to relax their muscles in a bath. So we have already met some of the expected demands.”
Venue of Choice Regardless of the ambitions of the Sharks rugby club, Moses Mabhida stadium is pushing hard to become the ‘venue of choice’ for events that are not committed to par- ticular venues, as Ellingson outlined: “We receive a lot of requests for shooting advertisements at the venue. We have, therefore, made sure that we own all the intellectual rights of the venue. But we have also received a request to establish a hotel at the top-floor of the stadium, from where you have one of the best views in Durban.” Ellingson also added that, in the absence of the ath-
letic track, the extended field allows for the erection of stages in every direction and configuration, thus ena- bling the venue to host a multitude of concerts and other events. As the South African football league has several com- petitions that run parallel to the national league, Moses Mabhida stadium’s management team has had its eyes firmly set on the competition regulations that stipulate a
20 th AN N I V ER S AR Y P AR T II/ S U M M ER 1 2
neutral venue is required. And as neither AmaZulu nor Golden Arrows made it to the final stages of either com- petition last season, Moses Mabhida stadium can be used as a neutral venue. “Last season we had the MTN 8 final and a Nedbank
Cup semi-final taking place at the stadium but we want to see more of those matches coming to Durban in the future. People like coming down to Durban and spend the whole weekend here, as we are blessed with one of the best cli- mates in South Africa. Something that could stimulate this even further is the establishment of the high-speed railway link between Durban and Johannesburg that is currently discussed in parliament. This would cut travel times by more than half and allow visitors to travel only three hours to reach Durban,” said Ellingson, while referring to the US$7bn project that the South African government is con- sidering to alleviate congestion on the roads. However, until the government and South African
Olympic Committee give the go-ahead to bid for an Olympics, it is business as usual for Moses Mabhida sta- dium, as Ellingson concluded: “We have learnt a lot in the last twelve months and we will benefit from that in the coming season. Moses Mabhida stadium will see more matches and events in the year to come.” ✪
P AN S T AD I A 33
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