By Clayton Barnes and Rodney Reiners
Cape Town Stadium is poised to get its first big-name tenant - soccer club Ajax Cape Town, which has decided to make the World Cup stadium its home ground.
Stadium operator SAIL/Stadefrance's Morne du Plessis has confirmed that the club has asked that its fixtures for the 2010/2011 home games be played at the venue.
He said a formal announcement would be made once the parties had finalised the agreement. He would not be drawn on what the contract was worth.
This brings to an end some of the speculation surrounding the future of the stadium.
SAIL/Stadefrance had been in talks with, among others, Western Province Rugby. The rugby union has said it will stay put at Newlands rugby stadium for now.
Ajax has previously stated its desire to have a settled home ground because it has had to play its home matches at either Athlone Stadium or Newlands.
The city's two other Premier Soccer League (PSL) teams, Engen Santos and Vasco da Gama, will use the upgraded Athlone Stadium and Bellville sports field as their respective home grounds.
Ajax said discussion on the use of the stadium for the season was still in the negotiation stage.
"We have submitted a proposal for the use of the stadium and it is based on an all-or-nothing premise," said Ajax chief executive George Comitis. "Either we get the stadium for all our home games or we don't play there at all. We are hoping to finalise things this coming week.
"Most importantly, though, is that the City of Cape Town has to come to the party. We cannot carry the cost of the stadium hire on our own.
"We need assistance from the city. We are hoping to sit down with the city this week to finalise things," said Comitis.
A City of Cape Town spokesman referred all queries to Gert Bam, the city's director for sport, recreation and amenities. However, Bam could not be contacted for comment.
Du Plessis said other upcoming events at the stadium included:
- A Bafana Bafana match.
- A football charity event in December.
- A "North versus South format" football festival in February.
- One leg of the Vodacom Challenge football tournament.
- A pre-season warm-up between UK rugby club Saracens and a top South African Super 14 side.
Du Plessis said sport matches and events at the stadium would include music and "fun for the whole family" before and after matches.
"People all over the globe fell in love with the stadium and Cape Town because of the World Cup, and we received great global exposure, created new pride in Capetonians and delivered an efficient service," he said.
The first big post-World Cup test of the stadium will come on August 27 with a PSL double-header that includes Ajax.
Tickets for the two matches, priced between R40 and R80, went on sale at Computicket at the weekend. The opening match will be between Vasco da Gama and Orlando Pirates. Kick-off is scheduled for 6pm. Ajax Cape Town will then take on Bloemfontein Celtic at 8.45pm.
"We've got to put on a good show to get Cape Town behind their local teams and to make the spectators come back for more," said Du Plessis.
He confirmed that the Fan Walk, which had been popular during the World Cup, would be opened for the day.
Du Plessis added that "the same transport system that was used for the World Cup, with a shuttle service to the stadium and the park-and-rides, will again be in place".
Cape Town Stadium marketing manager Shameema Adams said the same rules that applied for the test events before the World Cup would apply for the double-header.
"No food will be allowed in and security will be tight at the gates," she said. "Spectators will also be able to buy parking tickets, at R20 each, when they buy their match tickets."
Gates will open at 4pm.
Preliminary fixtures for Ajax's 2010 PSL home games at the Cape Town Stadium include:
- September 17: Ajax Cape Town vs Platinum Stars.
- October 15: Ajax Cape Town vs Engen Santos
- November 10: Ajax Cape Town vs Vasco da Gama.
- November 26: Ajax Cape Town vs BIDVest Wits.
- December 17: Ajax Cape Town vs Mamelodi Sundowns.