Durban — A successful Durban July experience media launch, held at the newly opened five-star Radisson Blu Hotel on Tuesday, helped unpack all plans and the city council’s state of readiness to host Africa’s much-anticipated premier horse racing event, the Hollywoodbets Durban July.
The event is taking place on Saturday at Hollywoodbets Greyville Racecourse and is expected to boost the city’s economy as there will be more tourists from around the world who will be bringing revenue to the city, and job opportunities are also going to be created.
eThekwini mayor Mxolisi Kaunda said the expected growth from the event has not been mirrored across the tourism industry after it was badly hit by Covid-19 and could barely survive.
“We are excited about the economic spin-offs that this event is going to bring to our city.
“The estimated 35 000 people who will head for Hollywoodbets Greyville Racecourse on Saturday are expected to spend R145 million, with the gross domestic product in economic activity projected to be R362m.
“An estimated 740 people will get employment because of this event,” said Kaunda.
He said they were excited to host the event physically this year rather than digitally and he assured everyone that safety measures were in place and law enforcement and private entities would ensure the safety of the guests was a top priority.
Hollywoodbets head of operations: Africa, Sandisiwe Bhengu said as a new sponsor they know everyone is excited to see what they have to offer.
She said the success of their business was built on the foundation of horse racing, and now they were able to continue this legacy with the assistance of a powerful platform.
“We align ourselves with projects we truly believe in, and the magnitude of this event extends way beyond just horse racing. It covers tourism, entertainment, fashion and positively impacts the local economy.
“Hollywoodbets really wanted to up the ante, and with Gold Circle, we made an announcement that the stakes will be increased to a record-breaking R5m!
“We have more than doubled last year’s stakes of R2m. This shows how invested we are in the premier horse race event,” she said.
The city council is making the Durban July accessible to everyone this time, from the townships to rural areas, with their five satellite venues set to give visitors who could not make it to the venue and the people in townships an authentic experience.
There will be online betting, entertainment, fashion elements and a Durban July feel at all these venues.
The venues are Mojo's Carwash and Shisanyama in Wiggins, Under the Moon at eNanda, Maqaqa Lounge Lifestyle located at uMbumbulu, Magaba Lounge in Hammarsdale and the award-winning Max’s Lifestyle in Umlazi.
Gold Circle events and marketing executive, Stephen Marshall, said hosting this event was an honour, and they had had to think outside the box as event organisers, due to Covid-19, and now they were given a chance to spread their wings with the lifting of regulations.
“Entertainers now get to perform for an audience, and that has been extremely difficult for them to do for the past two years.
“We had to think really hard in 2020 and last year with virtual parties and the like to maintain the entertainment pillar of the event, and at the same time provide some support to this industry which was not as much fun,” he said.
Daily News