The Mayor just 'loves' Newlands

She may be attempting to lure the Western Province Rugby Football Union away from its famous headquarters, but Cape Town Mayor Patricia de Lille still “loves” the iconic Newlands stadium.

The wheels were formally set in motion for what is going to be a lengthy process of negotiations between the WPRFU and the City of Cape Town over a move of the union from Newlands to the new Cape Town Stadium at Greenpoint.

In a joint media briefing on Thursday Patricia de Lille, the Mayor of Cape Town, and WPRFU President Tobie Titus revealed that they have agreed to enter into “formal exploratory talks” to discuss the potential of WP and the Stormers leaving the iconic Newlands stadium and using the Cape Town Stadium as a permanent base.

While this process will take “years” to complete, the emotions over WP having to leave their traditional home – the oldest Test venue in the world still in its original shape and format – are running high.

And while the two former foes have ‘kissed and made up’ – or as De Lille said: “Let all bygones be bygones.” – the issue remain sensitive and will continue to evoke strong opinions.

However, De Lille feels that despite the history and sentiments attached to a move away from a venue as iconic as Cape Town’s Table Mountain is not the end of the world.

“It is very emotional, really,” the Mayor said, when asked about the status of the stadium and leaving all that behind.

“Newlands is one of the iconic stadiums in the country,” she said, adding: “There is a lot of history, there is a lot of games that we can all relate to and remember.

“Going way back, when there used to be protests against the All Blacks when they played here in 1976 … I remember I was outside [the stadium] as part of the protests.

“There are many incidents and a whole of history attached to the Newlands stadium, and certainly also, at the time when Newlands was build, Cape Town was much, much smaller. Cape Town now has a population of 3.5-million and growing by the day.”

However, she felt that circumstances have changed.

“All of us, we love Newlands, and Newlands will always be in our memories where we as Capetonians and the rest of South Africa get together to watch our rugby.”

She denied a suggestion that the City of Cape Town is “desperate” to get rugby to move to Greenpoint in order to avoid the venue becoming a white elephant and a financial drain in the city’s resources.

“There is a history and a context [attached to the City of Cape Town stadium],” she said, adding that it was a FIFA requirement that every city that wanted to host games in the 2010 soccer World Cup had to build a new stadium.

“The fact is that across the country these huge stadiums, that were build for the 2010 Soccer World Cup, are standing there.

“Obviously that is an asset of the city that has to be maintained – the city has to manage and maintain it. We have to ensure there are enough functions to keep it busy [occupied] and we have reached out all over the world … to sell the stadium and say: ‘Here is a facility you can use.’

“That is why we have a big concert in April and three other big events.

“So it is not a case of desperation [to get rugby to move]. You have to ensure that the money the city spends on maintaining the stadium has to be recouped somewhere else and that is why we are attempting top procure functions for the stadium.”

Theuns Roodman, Chief Executive Officer of the WPRFU, said there remain many “obstacles” before the road is clear for the move from Newlands to Greenpoint.

Among the major issues to be dealt with in years to come are that while Cape Town Stadium has a current capacity of around 56,000 to Newlands’ 48,000, there is the need for a greatly expanded corporate suites section at the new facility – with Newlands boasting 300-odd suites and the Greenpoint venue just over 100.

Of course the WPRFU will also have to go through the cumbersome process of “rezoning” the Newlands venue in order to ensure they can build an office block or other high-value property to secure a future income for the union.

“That is one of the issues,” Roodman said, adding: “We [WPRFU] have 300 suites here [Newlands] and we have to accommodate that.

“They are a huge money-spinner for the union, but it is [just] one of the items on the table.”

De Lille said if there is need for additional suites, it will form part of the negotiations process between the two factions.

WPRFU President Toby Titus said a “goodwill gesture” of allowing the occasional rugby game be played at Cape Town Stadium while the process is ongoing may be problematic.

“Our [WPRFU] processes sometimes are very cumbersome,” Titus said, when asked if any games might be played in Greenpoint while the two groups thrash out the details.

“If there is such a request, we will follow the normal channels and then we will respond with that decision.

“It is not a decision for the executive … it is for the entire council [92 clubs] to decide that.”

By Jan de Koning