Just as the Springboks were making their way to the 2019 World Cup quarterfinals, South African rugby fans received sad news: Newlands Stadium is set to be demolished in just a few years’ time.
The iconic Newlands Stadium, which first opened to the public 131 years ago in 1888, is the world’s second-oldest rugby grounds.
The facility dates back to the reign of Queen Victoria and has undergone several renovations over the decades. The stadium was last overhauled in the lead up to the 1995 World Cup and has hosted countless provincial, national and international games.
The Stormers rugby team is currently based at Newlands, which offers seating for over 50 000 spectators with commanding views of Table Mountain. The history, design, and location that have made Newland famous around the world will be missed by rugby fans – but every cloud has a silver lining.
Newlands location set for redevelopment
The sale of Newlands to Investec is an exciting opportunity for redevelopment in Cape Town’s southern suburbs.
Despite generous sponsorships, Newlands has been struggling to meet its financial obligations as maintenance costs escalate. In addition, given the stadium’s age, it was only a matter of time until a full renovation would be necessary – something that Western Province may have struggled to finance on its own.
Once Newlands is demolished, a mixed-use development including residential and commercial space retail units will take its place.
A new home for the Stormers
With iconic Newlands soon (reportedly) to be no more, the Stormers look likely to be moving to the Cape Town Stadium in Green Point, although there has been no confirmation of this move to date.
This state of the art facility was built for the 2010 FIFA World Cup and is centrally located in one of the Mother City’s most popular regions, with the V&A, restaurants, and premium office space nearby.
If you’re in the market for commercial property in and around Cape Town, contact the Commercial Space team today.
