Durban - Durban could lose R400 million funding from overseas backers if construction work on the state-of-the-art Hoy Park Academy doesn’t start.
And other potential investors, who are waiting in the wings for the facility that is designed to help youngsters become world-class footballers, are also believed to be growing restless at the delays.
These were the fears of Carlos Catalino, chief executive of the Hoy Park Management LTD, the company tasked with making the academy a reality, at an estimated cost of R700m.
“International investors confirmed their support nearly four-years ago and have only heard excuses on why the project is not happening.
“They will soon get tired of all the bureaucracy. We could lose their confirmed R400m funding, and investment from other backers, who are waiting for the academy to be built,” Catalino said.
The 14.33ha site near Kings Park that has been earmarked for the academy has created controversy and delay, since the project was announced in 2014.
Tenants, which include the Newmarket Stables, the Newmarket Lodge and vendors at the flea market, defied the city’s eviction order and challenged it in court. The matter is no closer to reaching finality.
A joint venture, which included the SA Football Association, Hoy Park Management Ltd, the eThekwini Municipality and the KZN government, was entered into in 2012.
The motivation for the project was to produce quality footballers, who would improve the country’s international ranking, said Catalino.
Seven football fields, accommodation for at least 88 players and support staff, a sports hotel, a medical facility and other amenities, and other sporting codes were to be housed at the facility.
Catalino said once the academy was up and running, it would become a huge money spinner for the city because overseas teams would flock there and bring in revenue for the tourism and hospitality sectors.
He said, previously they had paid for a Liverpool soccer school to operate out of their facility, but have since parted ways because they clashed over many issues.
“Bringing Liverpool into the mix was a strategic move. We wanted to attract white and Indian players to football because they generally followed the English game.”
He said in spite of the project’s delay, he and coaches employed by his company have still been able to produce footballers who broke into the professional ranks and some who had played for South African national teams.
He was referring to the KZN Under-19 Academy team they had been operating since 2014, but without a formal base.
To build the team, Hoy Park’s scouts ventured to all parts of the province to unearth talented footballers.
Teams like Barcelona, Santos and Arsenal have participated in the past.
To host the competition, Hoy Park relied mainly on the annual R5m contribution from both the eThekwini Municipality and the KwaZulu-Natal government.
Those arrangements ended at the close of the 2016 tournament, last Saturday.
Based on the competition’s successes, Catalino was optimistic the two entities and other backers would renew their commitments.
He said they spent R18m in the last year to put their Under-19 team together and run this year’s tournament.
But they would have saved on some of their Under-19 team’s operational expenditure, claimed Catalino.
He was referring to the accommodation of out-of-town players as well as the hefty travel and insurances bills they incurred. Therefore, their urgency to build the academy, said Catalino.
“As Hoy Park, we have taken it on ourselves to help the tenants relocate, but this has been refused.”
Catalino claimed tenants had singled him out when venting their anger and “dragged my name through the mud”.
He said the allegations that Hoy Park board members had received money under the table and pocketed cash from the grants they received were disappointing.
“We spend money, first from our own pockets, before we receive money from the city and province, and they only reimbursed us once they scrutinised our claims,” said Catalino.
Local businessman and football club owner Nino Chidoni, who lent Hoy Park R1.5m to start its 2014 tournament, made a court application to have the company liquidated because it had not settled its debt.
The application was later withdrawn after Hoy Park showed they were in a good financial position.
In a separate matter, Hoy Park sued Chidoni for more than R3m over player deals.
This matter is pending.
Of relocating tenants and establishments from the site, he said they had suggested the stables move to the Bluff.
And Hoy Park also offered to provide a shuttle service to transport patrons from the stables old position to the alternate venue, but it was not accepted.
He said Hoy Park was also prepared to accommodate the velodrome, provided it ran development programmes there.
“Berea Rovers plays their sport elsewhere and we are trying to accommodate the Rovers clubhouse in our precinct.
“But we are not prepared to have our academy moved elsewhere because we have done much planning and work to secure sponsorship.
“Also, it’s more beneficial to the city and football for us to be there.”
Nicole Bollman of the Save the Newmarket Stables Support Group said Catalino had been helpful, but his suggested move to the Bluff was not appropriate because of zoning issues. “I understand Catlino’s desire to develop football. We have the same desire for equestrian sport, but we are willing to listen to other proposals.”
City spokeswoman Tozi Mthethwa refused to comment about the plight of the tenants because the matter was before court.
About renewing their sponsorship of the tournament, Mthethwa said they were doing an impact assessment of the competition and would comment thereafter.
Sunday Tribune