Cape Town airport hits a six for RSA cricket

CRICKET development and sport tourism received a major boost today (15 June 2000) when the Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) `handed over' a complete cricket pitch at Cape Town International Airport (CIA) to the Western Province Cricket Association (WPCA).

This generous donation, worth nearly R2 million, entails a free 20 year lease of the land and pavilion facilities to the WPCA who will in return maintain, manage and utilise the grounds to augment its highly successful youth development programme.

The cricket oval is the focal point of the Airport Oval Office Park, which is situated at the entrance to the Airport. It will eventually be surrounded by eight low-rise office blocks with 18 000m2 of rentable floor space, incorporating a clubhouse, cafeteria, gymnasium and ample parking.

Dirk Ackerman, Managing Director of ACSA, says the donation confirms the company's commitment to create world class aerocities of the future and also to invest in the development and empowerment of the country's human resources.

"The oval will be utilised by the province's Academy and B-sides and become a centre of cricketing excellence. It will also host an annual prestige corporate day against an international touring side. Attendance of these events will be restricted to Office Park tenants and their invited guests.

"WPCA's appointment of Christo Erasmus, head curator of the Newlands pitch, to look after the cricket oval at the Airport underscores the seriousness with which they regard this donation. ACSA is thrilled to be instrumental in encouraging cricket development by donating this prime oval," says Ackerman.

Peter Heeger, WPCA General Manager, says the ACSA donation could not have come at a better time. "The phenomenal growth we are experiencing in cricket, prompts us to constantly find additional top quality facilities."

According to the latest WPCA statistics on development cricket, about 22 000 learners are currently involved in cricket every week. This is 19 000 more than the 3 000 of 1992 - an increase of over 600%.

"The focus will be on `senior' development - those players who have already left school. We are also experiencing a huge demand from international county teams to play invitation sides in South Africa in preparation for the European cricket season, which begins in May.

"The Airport's Cricket Oval is ideally positioned to address existing needs. The envisaged hotels at the Airport will be able to accommodate touring sides and the conference facilities can double up as training lecture rooms. Its central location also allows easy access to important highway routes," says Heeger.

The R96 million Airport Oval Office Park project is but one of several major expansion projects totalling more than R800 million being planned over the next five to eight years at Cape Town International Airport.

"This is in addition to the development of the cargo centre and filling station next to the office park. Construction of the new International Arrivals Terminal will be completed by the end of the year. The building of a R30 million distribution centre for Pick `n Pay just outside the airport precinct has commenced.

"These developments and further plans for hotels, conference facilities, and other commercial enterprises will transform our airport into a dynamic and modern aerocity," says Ackerman.