2010 world cup doubt

[capetownguy]

Wonderful you have told me all about CT but that does not negate what I said about Durban....

I know your name is CT guy but I was always under the impression you were clued up on developments at all stadia? Is this not the case?

The Durban plan is very good, and it offers an amazing experience.
The new Kings Park station to begin construction soon will be great too. Cape Town considered a train station closer to the stadium but the cost to benefit ratio was not favourable, given that the stadium would already be served by two BRT stations if not more. CT was also advised not to spend on a new train station closer to the stadium as the fan mile distance presented was almost ideal.

I read the Durban transport operations plan a few months back and it looks good.

 

[capetownguy]

As capetownguy had already pointed out, most CT hotels are near the stadium. Even a 5km is quite acceptable, specially if it means no need for a car or train. Imagine the atmosphere of thousands of people making a huge noise..waving flags...chanting...all walking toward green point.



Mainly refering to trains. I lived in Durban a few years back, and they were not at all good. In CT lots of students and business men from all backgrounds use the infrastructure.



There is parking. But from what I remember : thousands on the fields having braai's. Thousands also forced to park in the street islands. Was all a bit messy.



no

The new Durban stadium will have about 2,000 parking spaces in the stadium podium, apart from the fields surrounding it. Then again, you won't be driving to the stadium during the World Cup.

In terms of Cape Town, all transport is literally directed towards the CBD, as was planned under the apartheid group areas act,perhaps a blessing in disguise. I laugh at people who think you can take a train from Khayelitsha directly to Newlands, or even from Goodwood to Newlands. Athlone, while closer to the football lovers, is not closer to those who can afford tickets and is not well served by public transport.

The North/South rail corridor( I think thats what its called) which includes Kings Park station received some criticizm from the transport department, since Durban was placing focus on a route that wasn't in high demand when compared to other cities.

 

[capetownguy]

I drove around PE's new stadium yesterday and was seriously left wondering when/if/what they we're planning on doing (something) about transportation there. There's less than nothing in place now from the look of things.

Nelson Mandela Bay 2010 FIFA Transport Operations Plan

 

[bwana]

So their master plan is to park the coaches outside peoples houses on the street? Then everyone drives away on a couple narrow side streets?

EDIT - thanks for the link though - interesting reading.

 

[capetownguy]

So their master plan is to park the coaches outside peoples houses on the street? Then everyone drives away on a couple narrow side streets?

EDIT - thanks for the link though - interesting reading.

I wasn't gonna mention that! It seems almost silly filling up residential roads with huge busses!!! Why don't they clear some of those industrial buildings opposite the lake and park busses over there.

I see chaos.

 

[bwana]

I wasn't gonna mention that! It seems almost silly filling up residential roads with huge busses!!! Why don't they clear some of those industrial buildings opposite the lake and park busses over there.

I see chaos.

Because Cadbury's chocolate is more important!

 

[capetownguy]

Maybe FIFA will just demolish those buildings, Cadbury and all.

 

[bwana]

Maybe FIFA will just demolish those buildings, Cadbury and all.

and you think it wise informing the 500,000 PE women that not only will the windy city be over run by soccer for a month . . . . but there will be no chocolate!

 

[capetownguy]

blame it on FIFA

 

[capetownguy]

16000 beds, prob closer to 20000, if not more within walking distance of Green Point stadium. .

close enough?

Westin Grand and the 7 star One&Only Sol Kerzner Hotel under construction.

 

[quiksilver]

Here is some latest news...

Foreigners from camps to fill empty 2010 stadiums

PRETORIA. The global economic slump has forced the South African government to revise its estimate of the number of foreign visitors likely to attend the 2010 Soccer World Cup from an expected 1,300 to nine, excluding illegal immigrants. However officials have hinted that the 600,000 empty seats will be filled with foreigners bussed in from refugee camps.

Addressing journalists this morning, Local Organising Committee spokesman Omo Maponya admitted that the new estimates were disappointing.

"Nine people is not a lot of people," he said, adding that most business models for the 2010 event had been assuming an influx of between 900 and 1,300 visitors, depending on how many foreigners looked at an atlas and realised they would have to fly 10,000 kilometers to stay behind electrified fences and be ignored by service industry workers.

However he urged South Africans to stay positive, saying that empty seats would probably be filled by victims of xenophobic attacks.

"It's really a win-win situation for all of us," said Maponya.

"Those guys in the camps, they're all soccer-mad. They eat and drink soccer in those camps. Literally. They boil and eat soccer balls that the local kids accidentally kick over the wire, and then they ration out the water with all the bits of leftover string floating in it.

"It's awesome to see that level of passion."

He said that refugees would be issued with the national flag of one of the teams playing and told to wave it or face deportation.

"We'd probably tell them who to support," explained Maponya. "Otherwise you'd have everybody cheering for Zimbabwe and Somalia at an England-Italy match, and that's not what the sponsors want to see."

He added that the spectators would be urged to "look happy", probably by releasing tear-gas in the stands.

"It makes you go ack-ack-ack as if you are laughing, and your eyes close up and tears stream out," said Maponya.

"On television it really just looks like everyone is crying with laughter."

He reiterated the Local Organising Committee's promise that soccer hooliganism would not be tolerated in South Africa, but added that if the hooliganism was ethnically motivated it would be reclassified as xenophobic, and probably tolerated a little bit.

source: http://www.hayibo.com/articles/view/917

 

[boramk]

Er guys, quick question, in 2010 are we to see a stronger Rand or a weaker Rand?

 

[headsore]

nice article

Should in theory see a stronger. As the demand for rands will go up. How much of a rise i wouldn't know.

 

[Keeper]

"Even if you accept people have fewer dollars in their pockets, those dollars will buy more rands. So people may still travel because the destination becomes cheaper," he said.

Ah yes... the same as south african people going to zimbabwe for some "off-time" and to live in luxury for a few weeks... right?

 

[capetownguy]

$115m hospitality package sales faster than Germany 2006
Article By:
Tue, 25 Nov 2008 18:37

Over US$115-million (about R1.1-billion) worth of 2010 World Cup hospitality packages have been sold to South African companies, the Local Organising Committee told a media briefing in Johannesburg on Tuesday.

The packages included tickets for all games to be played during the 2010 FIFA World Cup, transport to stadiums and facilities like private suites, lounges, marquees, catering, parking and entertainment.

Optional extras included accommodation in lodges across the country, game drives and trips to neighbouring countries.

Addressing the media on Tuesday, FIFA secretary general Jérôme Valcke said the package sales indicated the "strong confidence of the corporate world in South Africa's capabilities to stage a fantastic World Cup in 2010.

"FIFA is extremely pleased to hear that hospitality sales are far surpassing all set targets. The sales are going at a much faster pace than for Germany 2006 for the equivalent period. This is yet another indication of the attractiveness of the FIFA World Cup," Valcke said.

While some stadiums were still under construction, raising fears that they might not be ready for the event, Valcke assured the media that all stadiums would be ready.

"The four stadiums for the Confederations Cup (2009) are on track. We are left with six months to the Confederations Cup and we'll be ready for kick off," he said.

His views were shared by Issa Hayatou, chairman of the FIFA organising committees for both the World Cup and the 2009 Confederations Cup.

"We are satisfied as far as infrastructure is concerned... really happy with what has been done now," Hayatou said through an interpreter.

A volunteer programme was also on track, with over 30 000 people having applied to volunteer during the Confederations Cup. However, only 5000 would be chosen.

LOC chief executive Danny Jordaan said the selection process was currently underway and was expected to be completed by December.

"Training has already started. Some of the volunteers helped during the Nelson Mandela Cup and the overall response to those who worked during that game was very positive... We are really happy with that," Jordaan said.

Also discussed at the briefing were budgets for both the Confederations Cup and the World Cup.

Jordaan said a budget of "just over R4-billion" had been drawn up and submitted to FIFA.

 

[headsore]

great news