First new 2010 stadium opened

South Africa's first newly-built 2010 World Cup stadium officially opened on Sunday 7/6/09 in Port Elizabeth a year before kick-off next June.

"For us today's first opening of a newly-built 2010 World Cup stadium is a huge boost," said local organising committee chief Danny Jordaan.

Eight 2010 games will be played at 48,000 seat Nelson Mandela Bay stadium.

But the first game in the stadium will be a rugby match between the British and Irish Lions and the Southern Kings.

"It demonstrates the capacity of South Africa's construction industry and our commitment to deliver on all our 2010 FIFA World Cup promises," Jordaan added.

The Confederations Cup, seen as a test event for the World Cup, starts on Sunday at four refurbished stadiums in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Bloemfontein and Rustenburg.

The five additional new stadiums that will also be used in Africa's first World Cup were "shaping up nicely" to be ready ahead of 2010, Jordaan said.

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http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/africa/8088117.stm

Who has qualified for South Africa 2010?

Who will be playing at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa?

JAPAN (6 June, 2009)

Takeshi Okada's Japan became the first team to book their place after earning a hard-fought 1-0 victory against Uzbekistan in Tashkent.

Shunji Okazaki grabbed the only goal of the game after nine minutes to book a fourth successive finals berth.

Takeshi Okada: "We played very well. I think we should continue playing this style in the remaining matches."

AUSTRALIA (6 June, 2009)

The Socceroos eased into the World Cup without so much as even conceding a goal in the six matches it took them to qualify.

A 0-0 draw against Qatar in Doha wrapped things up for Pim Verbeek's team after they picked up 14 points in Group A of the final Asian qualifying phase.

SOUTH KOREA (6 June, 2009)

The South Koreans secured a seventh successive World Cup finals place thanks to a 2-0 victory over United Arab Emirates in Dubai.

Park Chu-young and Ki Sung-yueng grabbed the goals as Huh Jung-Moo's outfit strolled to a place in Africa's first World Cup.

THE NETHERLANDS (6 June, 2009)

The Dutch won 2-1 away to Iceland to become the first European side to qualify for next summer's tournament.

Goals from Nigel de Jong and Mark van Bommel put Bert van Marwijk's team in the driving seat before Kristjan Orn Sigurdsson pulled a goal back.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/internationals/8087418.stm

The 1 year countdown is close....Live It, Love It, Louder

The 1 year countdown is close....Live It, Love It, Louder

On Thursday, 11 June 2009, the FIFA World Cup will be exactly one year away. Cape Town Tourism is all set to get the ball rolling with a fun day of activities, including a symbolic football kick-off on Table Mountain at noon. Cape Town Tourism CEO, Mariette du Toit-Helmbold is calling on all Capetonians to support and celebrate the World Cup by marking the one year to go marker; “The 2010 FIFA World Cup is an important catalyst for economic growth, but also for marketing our country and building civic pride. At Cape Town Tourism, we are focusing on in-destination activations to ensure that visitors to the World Cup have unforgettable experiences and leave our country as brand ambassadors, inspiring others to visit.”

“Ensuring buy-in from local citizens is the key to an unforgettable event. It is with this in mind that we are launching an interactive citizen activation programme, making ordinary Capetonians the focus point of our World Cup count-down campaign. The country will attract many visitors from markets that would otherwise not have visited South Africa and this is an opportunity to expand our foreign and African markets by inspiring citizens to live and love Cape Town and showcasing a city like no other in the world.”
“At the same time, the investment in tourism infrastructure, training and technology will create a solid foundation for sustainable development beyond 2010.”

A City Sightseeing bus will take a party of soccer celebrities, fans and guests on a city tour (map on www.capetown.travel) between 10h30 and 11h30 en route to Table Mountain for the noon kick-off. Capetonians in the City centre can join the celebrations by cheering on the bus, but every Capetonian, wherever they are, will have the chance to Live It, Love It, Louder! by making some noise at noon on 11 June. Vuvuzela’s, car hooters, shouts, whistles, pots and pans - it’s all about raising the roof, having fun and getting ready to welcome the world to Cape Town. After the kick-off, local band CODA will play their new song Blow Your Vuvuzela for the first time, on Table Mountain.

confed-cup

Cape Town Tourism has commissioned award-winning Cape Town design agency Coley Porter Bell to create a billboard campaign to support the Live It, Love It, Louder! campaign and get Cape Town ready to host the big event. Prime outdoor sites include Cape Town International Airport, highways leading into Cape Town and the CBD.


Executive Director for Economic, Social Development and Tourism, Mansoor Mohamed, observes that the, “2010 FIFA World Cup is the single most important event in South Africa’s recent history. If managed properly, the economic and tourism legacy benefits will be felt for a very long time into the future. Cape Town is ready to welcome the world to the 2010 FIFA World Cup.”

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Cape Town Restaurants Winter Specials 2009

Cape Town Restaurants Winter Specials 2009

Some specials for winter dining in and around Cape Town for 2009.

If you have others you think should be added or if you have a review of one of those listed below, please leave a comment!

Andiamo (Waterkant)
Two pastas + two glasses of wine R100
Everyday, lunch and dinner
021 421 3687

Alba Lounge (Waterfront)
Two pastas and two glasses of wine for R100
Everyday
021 425 3385

Aubergine (Gardens)
Two courses R185 / three courses R245
Everyday
021 465 4909

Bravo (Mouille Point)
1kg of prawns for R69
Monday to Friday lunch and Tuesday evenings until the end of June
021 439 5260

Beluga (Green Point)
Two course lunch R125 / three course dinner R165
Every day until the end of September
don’t forget their year round specials:
1kg prawns R100 / 26 piece sushi platter R100 / half price sushi until 7pm
021 418 2948

Bungalow (Camps Bay)
Crayfish R100 / Lamb Shank R100 / half price cocktails & tapas between
5pm and 7pm
Everyday
021 438 0007

Caprice (Camps Bay)
Two of their legendary burgers for the price of one
Lunch and dinner, Monday to Thursday
3 course meal with Heineken R80
Friday nights
021 438 8315

Catharina’s (Steenberg/Tokai)
Two course set lunch menu with glass of wine R125
three course set lunch menu with glass of wine R165
three course set dinner menu with glass of wine R195
Everyday
021 713 3222

Five Flies (CBD)
Two course menu + glass of wine R125
Monday, Wednesday & Friday
021 424 4442

Geisha (Green Point)
Half price sushi & dim sum before 7pm / 25% off noodle dishes
Everyday
021 439 0533

Harbour House (Kalk Bay)
Three course R150 / two course R130
Everyday except Sunday lunches
021 788 4133

Henri’s in Somerset West
Three courses R120
Everyday until end June
021 852 6442

Myoga (Newlands/Claremont)
Six course menu R150, paired with wines R225
Dinner only, everyday until end August
021 657 4545

Pepenero (Mouille Point)
Rump with fries and sauce R80 / half price sushi / seafood platter for
one R110 / 1kg of prawns with chips or rice R100 / oysters R9 each /
sushi platter R90 / Osso Bucco with mash R90 / pasta of the day R55
Everyday
021 439 9027

Salushi (Claremont)
Half price sushi until 5pm / standard starter + noodle dish R70
Everyday
021 671 4271

Sinns (Gardens)
Two courses with a glass of wine R100
Three courses with a glass of wine R125
Everyday
021 465 0967

Tank (Waterkant)
Half price sushi
Everyday
021 419 0007

The Foodbarn (Noordhoek)
Three course meal R175
Everyday
021 789 1390

The Kove (Camps Bay)
Parties of 4 get one of the meals free
Half price on entire menu between 5pm & 6:45pm
2 courses with glass of wine R100, 3 courses with glass of wine R130
Everyday
021 438 0004

Tobago’s at the Radisson (Green Point/Mouille Point)
25% off tables of 4 or more
Until end of June
021 441 3000

Tuscany Beach (Camps Bay)
Order two main courses, get one free / 20% of all sushi and oysters
Every night and lunches Monday to Friday
021 438 1213

Winelands:

Buitenverwachting (Constantia)
Three courses + carafe of wine R230
Everyday until end September
021 794 3522

Constantia Uitsig (Constantia)
Three lunch courses R200, with carafe of wine R230
3 dinner courses R240, with carafe of wine R280
Everyday until end September
021 794 6500

Cuvee at Simonsig (Stellenbosch)
Two courses with a glass of wine R125
Three course with a glass of wine R165
Until end June
021 888 4932

Jonkershuis at Groot Constantia (Constantia)
Starter & main from the Cape Malay themed buffet R100 / add dessert R110
6pm to 9pm weekdays until end August
021 794 6255

La Colombe (Constantia)
Three lunch courses R210, with carafe of wine R240
3 dinner courses R250, with carafe of wine R290
Everyday until end September
021 794 6500

Terroir (Stellenbosch)
Two courses R150 / three courses R195
Everyday until end September
021 880 8167

Event specials:

Cape Colony restaurant at the Mount Nelson (Gardens)
Four course pairing R350
Last Thurs of each month until end October
021 483 1948

Salt at the Ambassador Hotel (Bantry Bay)
Four course pairing R350
Last Thursday of each month until end October
021 439 7258

Use www.xe.com to convert to your currency
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United States leads ticket sales for 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa

United States leads ticket sales for 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa

By Ronald Blum – 10 hours ago

NEW YORK — The Americans are No. 1 for next year's FIFA World Cup - when it comes to ticket sales.

U.S. purchasers already have bought 93,300 tickets for next year's tournament in South Africa, the head of the local organizing committee said Friday.

Danny Jordaan gave a presentation on preparations Friday at the South African Consulate General in New York, and said the 32-nation tournament already is proving doubters wrong. This will be the first time the World Cup or the Olympics will be held in Africa.

"The argument has essentially been twofold," Jordaan said at the start of his 40-minute presentation. "One, that from a commercial point of view, the African continent will not realize a profitable World Cup or a profitable Olympics, and secondly that from an infrastructure point of view, that no African country will have the infrastructure or the resources and the capacity, the human capacity, to deliver these events."

That, he said, has been debunked by the finances. FIFA has generated US$3.2 billion from its broadcasting and commercial partners, $400 million more than the 2006 World Cup in Germany. Construction is nearing completion at the 10 stadiums in nine cities that will be used for the 64 games. Airports have been upgraded in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban.

Given that South Africa was divided by apartheid in 1948 and that national elections didn't take place until 1990, progress leading up to the tournament has been remarkable. Sunil Gulati, the Indian-born president of the U.S. Soccer Federation, recalled talking about it with U.S. coach Bob Bradley on a beach in Durban when they attended the World Cup qualifying draw two years ago.

"About 30 minutes into the long walk we were making, I said, Bob, 'Think about it,"' Gulati recalled. "'Not too long ago, I couldn't have been on this walk with you.' If they can overcome those sorts of challenges, I have absolutely no doubt about all the technical issues."

Gulati was part of the U.S. organizers of the 1994 tournament and is heading the bid to bring the tournament back to the United States in 2018, or more likely 2022. He said the challenge for South Africa was the same as it was for the U.S.: "Trying to convince the world that the World Cup was in safe hands."

"It was a different convincing in the case of the U.S.," he said. "We had to convince them that people would care, that people would come to games, that the distances weren't too big, that it wasn't going to be too warm in Orlando - we didn't convince them on the last part, by the way."

Fifteen years later, he said the U.S. is not only No. 1 in ticket sales, it is tops in broadcast rights fees. Major League Soccer commissioner Don Garber said last month ABC/ESPN and Univision will be paying FIFA a combined $325 million for English and Spanish U.S. television rights to the 2010 and 2014 tournaments.

Jordaan said 450,000 tourists are expected for next year's World Cup, down from two million in Germany. The lowest ticket price, which was $60 in 2002 and 35 euros (then $45) in 2006, has been cut to $20 for South Africans.

That was done "to make sure that this event does not only cater for the top end in country but also for the poor, ordinary working-class people in country," Jordaan said, "because it is on their backs that we carried this bid. Those are the people who went into the streets and to celebrate the fact that Africa's first World Cup is coming to our country."

Crime is the biggest concern heading into the tournament, and into next month's eight-nation Confederations Cup tournament, where the United States plays Italy, Brazil and Egypt. Jordaan maintains South Africa has hosted 146 major events, "all of them successful, all of them without a single incident." They include the 1995 Rugby World Cup, the 1996 African Cup of Nations soccer tournament and part of the 2003 Cricket World Cup.

Soccer's World Cup is much bigger. Jordaan estimates it will bring 15,000 media and require 45,000 hotel rooms even before counting fans. Jordaan said 415,000 jobs were created, 20,000 in stadium construction alone, and that 25 new hotels were built.

"It's about nation-building and country branding," he said. "How do you create a single nation with a single vision, a nation that comes from a divided past? I've said very often that Germany 2006 has shown us that model, that in Germany after 1945, you had two Germanys divided by a wall between East and West Germany. In South Africa, you had the nation divided by legislation, between black and white."

Through the World Cup, he hopes to change South Africa's image.

"It's about trade. It's about investment. It's about business. It's about tourism. Those are the stories that we think we want to place on the media platforms," he said. "We've had the stories of coups and disease and all of those stories. On the African continent, we're not spending all of our lives dealing with those issues. We also have a future that we want to build for ourselves which is bright."

Copyright © 2009 The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
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Cape Town Tourism Plans for 2010

Commenting on Cape Town Tourism’s role in the myriad activities linked to the 2010 FIFA World Cup event in Cape Town, Mariette Du-Toit Helmbold, CEO of Cape Town Tourism says with conviction, “The 2010 FIFA World Cup is an important catalyst for economic growth, but also for marketing our country and building civic pride.

As Cape Town Tourism, we are focusing on in-destination activations to ensure that visitors to the World Cup have unforgettable experiences, leaving our country as brand ambassadors and inspiring others to visit. The country will attract many visitors from markets that would otherwise not have visited South Africa and this is an opportunity to expand our foreign and African markets. At the same time, the investment in tourism infrastructure, training and technology will create a solid foundation for sustained development beyond 2010.”

Cape Town Tourism coordinates a variety of projects on behalf of the Host City Cape Town, which include destination marketing, visitor services, accommodation, responsible tourism, communication and e-marketing. They also work closely with other work streams like arts and culture, safety and security, transport and city beautification to ensure synergy and maximised opportunities.

Projects under the destination marketing category focus on profiling Cape Town and its offerings through a variety of channels; including major events, travel shows, and a comprehensive media mix. There is a strong focus on engaging with so called ‘new markets,’ which are not traditional markets for Cape Town, in the effort to expand Cape Town’s current visitor base.

Targeted 2010 Media hosting and PR are used creatively to compliment all efforts in a highly cost effective way resulting in excellent return on investment.

A series of citizen activation campaigns have been put in place to stimulate civic pride and a welcoming spirit amongst Capetonians in the run up to, during and beyond the event. The ‘Cape Town’s Weekend’ on 26 and 27 September 2009 is an initiative run in partnership with the tourism industry to ‘give something meaningful back’ to locals by offering reduced rates, exciting activities and lots of giveaways only available to residents of the Mother City. Launched on 27 September 2008 on World Tourism Day, the initiative proved a major success and resulted in hundreds of Capetonians enabled to explore parts of Cape Town they never thought they would be able to.

A key 2010 legacy programme is the Cape Town Sons and Daughters Programme, to be launched in conjunction with the City and the new Cape Town Station. It will celebrate both legendary and ordinary Capetonians and people who have played a major role in building Cape Town. A walk of fame has been designed as part of the new Cape Town Station that will celebrate these sons and daughters of the Mother City.

Other project highlights include the development of a highly interactive 2010 ‘mini-site,’ which will go live on the 25th of May 2009. The site is part of Cape Town Tourism’s “Extended Stay Programme” and will be an invaluable resource for soccer fans and anyone wanting to know what to do and see in Cape Town during the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Features include match schedules; scores; fan activities; video content; breaking news; blogging and links to twitter, Flickr, and Facebook.

“Our aim is to encourage visitors to events in the lead up to the 2010 FIFA World Cup, like the Confederations Cup and Final Draw, as well as the World Cup itself to extend their stay in Cape Town. At the same time we will showcase the richness and diversity of the regions around Cape Town, enticing visitors to make Cape Town their address of choice,” says du Toit-Helmbold. “It is imperative to convert soccer visitors and members of the media into Cape Town brand evangelists so that they will return and promote Cape Town as a remarkable leisure, business and events destination to friends, relatives and colleagues.”

Upgrading and expansion of Cape Town Tourism’s visitor services network has already begun; including the roll-out of both unmanned and mobile Visitor Information Centres at key points in and around Cape Town.

Training for both the Cape Town Tourism team and the industry has commenced with the focus on communication, service delivery and safety.

Du Toit-Helmbold is confident that the Cape Town tourism industry is ready to provide a seamless and remarkable service to all visitors coming to Cape Town before, during and after 2010.

source: travelwires
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School holidays to fit in with 2010 FIFA World Cup

The Education Department has announced that next years South African school’s winter vacation period will be extended to ensure that schools are closed during the 2010 FIFA World Cup. This is to prevent pupil and teacher absenteeism during the matches, as well as lighten the load on the public transport system.

The 2010 FIFA World Cup will be held from the 11 June, with the final match and closing ceremony being on 11 July. The school term will end just two days before kick off and start again two days after the tournament final and closing ceremonies.

The Gauteng Education Department has provided a term calendar on its website that lists the following dates being applicable for the 2010 winter break: last day of the second term is 9 June, with the first day back for pupils to start the third term being 13 July. In terms of actual school days, this means a holiday of 22 days, as opposed to the usual 15. These dates apply to all nine provinces.

The Education Department has confirmed the approval and gazetting of the school calendar, thus making the aforementioned dates official. The Department has however insured that there will still be the usual 195 school days during the course of the academic year, as per prescribed policy.

Private schools that are members of ISASA (the Independent Schools Association of South Africa) have also amended their calendars: the schools that usually run a four-term year will follow the State Calendar as per the Education Department. The schools which normally follow a three-term year will next year follow a four term calendar, which is similar to the State calendar, except for differing dates regarding the end of the third term and the whole of the fourth term. They too will be closed on the same dates as all the other schools during the 2010 World Cup. The amended calendar is available for download on their website.

The 2010 Local Organising Committee, along with the Transport Department, had asked for schools to be closed, citing traffic congestion as one of the reasons.