1. Sun International Casinos South Africa
2. Sun International Cape Town

Sun InternationalHotels Limited is a resort hotel chain and casino destination from South Africa created by Sol Kerzner, probably best known for its Sun City Resort near Rustenburg in the North West Province. Specialising in gaming, hospitality and entertainment, the company owns 42.5% of the South African casino market.^[1] Sun International Hotels is headquartered in the Bahamas, on Paradise Island, which is the world's largest island resort, 70% of which is owned by the company. ^[2] Sun International has been incorporated in South Africa in 1967 and also runs a head office in Sandton, Johannesburg.^[1]

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History[edit]

Their hotel business traces its roots back to 1969, when the Southern Sun Hotel Company was created when South African Breweries and South African businessman Sol Kerzner joined forces. By 1983, Southern Sun Hotels operated 35 hotels, generating a net income of $35 million ^[2]. At this time, South African Breweries split its hotel interests into two; Sun International, headed by Sol Kerzner, retained all of the casino hotels located in the areas that South Africa had designated as 'independent homelands' and had Southern Sun as a 20% stakeholder. Sol Kerzner sold all of his share in Southern Sun to focus on Sun International (South Africa). Southern Sun retained the company's other hotels in South Africa, and remained focused on the hotel market rather than casinos. 1984 saw the commencement of Kersaf Investments Limited, a company that took great interest in Sun International (South Africa). This commencement was by a scheme of arrangement, such that Sun International would form one of Kersaf's subsidiaries.^[1] Kersaf was more focused on cinemas, restaurants, shopping and leisure at first, but as the next twenty years passed, its hotel and casino interests thrived under the Sun International brand, and slowly Kersaf began to dispose of its other interests and acquire more share in Sun International.

After the end of Apartheid in South Africa in 1994, the so-called homelands were re-integrated into the new South Africa. This allowed Southern Sun to develop its own gaming resorts and began to compete increasingly with Sun International. In 2000, Southern Sun sold its stake in Sun International to Kersaf Investments Limited, who then continued to acquire minority interests in Sun International.^[1] In 2004, Kersaf Investments Limited merged with Sun International to form Sun International Limited, the company that exists today.^[3] As of 2017, Sun International Limited owns or is involved in 19 international hotels, casinos and resorts.^[4]

Properties[edit]

Today, the Sun International brand operations include resorts, luxury hotel products, and casinos, across 20 destinations in 4 countries.

The various Sun International destinations host events – from music concerts to sporting events and functions. The Sun City Resort hosts the Miss South Africa pageant and the Nedbank Golf Challenge.^[4]

References[edit]

1. ^ ^abcd'History: The Sun International Journey'. Sun International. Retrieved 4 October 2017.
2. ^ ^ab'Sun International Hotels Limited - Company Profile, Information, Business Description, History, Background Information on Sun International Hotels Limited'. www.referenceforbusiness.com. Retrieved 17 August 2018.
3. ^'Notification of Decision to Approve Merger'(PDF). Competition Trubunal. 25426: 19. 12 September 2003.
4. ^ ^ab'About Us'. Sun International. Retrieved 4 October 2017.

Sun City is a luxury resort and casino, situated in the North West Province of South Africa. It is located between the Elands River and the Pilanesberg, about two hours' drive from Johannesburg, near the city of Rustenburg. The complex borders the Pilanesberg Game Reserve.

History[edit]

How to make a slot machine birthday cake. Sun City was developed by the hotel magnate Sol Kerzner as part of his Sun International group of properties. It was officially opened on 7 December 1979, then located in the Bantustan of Bophuthatswana.

As Bophuthatswana had been declared an independent state by South Africa's apartheid government (although unrecognized as such by any other country), it could provide entertainment such as gambling and topless revue shows, which were banned in South Africa. Those factors, as well as its relatively-close location to the large metropolitan areas of Pretoria and Johannesburg, ensured that Sun City soon became a popular holiday and weekend destination.

The United Nations had imposed a cultural boycott on South Africa in condemnation of apartheid. To overcome this, Kerzner offered substantial financial incentives to performing artists to use Sun City as a venue. Several famous performers disregarded the boycott and performed at the venue, such as the Beach Boys,^[1]Linda Ronstadt,^[1]Cher,^[1]Millie Jackson,^[1]Liza Minnelli,^[1]Frank Sinatra (1981),^[2]Paul Anka,^[2]Status Quo,^[3]Rod Stewart (July 1983),^[2][3] and Elton John (October 1983).^[2] British rock band Queen's series of performances at the venue in October 1984—in transgression of the boycott—caused considerable controversy, prompting criticism in the British music press, a fine from the Musicians' Union, and Queen's inclusion on the United Nations' blacklisted artists. Following the criticism, Queen strongly defended their decision, citing the fact that they had insisted they played only to desegregated audiences. They also donated to a school for the deaf and blind to prove their philanthropic values.^[3] In the late 1980s, Queen's song 'We Will Rock You' was used as the sound track to Sun City's 60-second video promo, which was shown as commercial on SABC-TV and also when opening shows in Sun City's Superbowl auditorium.

On 25 October 1980, Sun City's 'Superbowl' hosted a racially-mixed world heavyweight boxing championship fight between champion American Mike Weaver and challenger South African Gerrie Coetzee. It was won by Weaver by thirteenth-round knockout. The fight was for Weaver's World Boxing Association world heavyweight title.^[4]

In 1985, E Street Band guitarist Steven Van Zandt made the venue the focus of his music-industry activist group Artists United Against Apartheid. Forty-nine top recording artists collaborated on a song called 'Sun City', in which they pledged they would not perform at the resort because of their opposition to apartheid. Additionally, Simple Minds included the song as part of a live medley on their Live in the City of Light double album in 1987.

Post-apartheid[edit]

Sun City has continued since Bophutatswana was re-incorporated in the new South Africa in 1994.

The resort has four hotels:

• Soho Hotel (Formerly known as Sun City Hotel or The Main Hotel)^[5]
• Cascades Hotel;^[6]
• The Cabanas;
• The Palace of the Lost City.

Sun City has the Vacation Club which is a hotel but also sold in a timeshare scheme.

Sun City also has two international-standard 18-hole golf courses, the Gary Player Country Club and the Lost City Golf Course, both designed by Gary Player.^[7] The Gary Player Country Club is home to the Nedbank Golf Challenge (formerly the Nedbank Million Dollar Golf Challenge) that is held annually.

The World Series of Poker is a series of 74 events, each with different buy-ins and poker formats. Events are mainly held at the Rio Casino, Las Vegas, although there are a few held online. World series of poker casino. Sep 23, 2019  The Rio All-Suites Hotel & Casino remains as the home of the World Series of Poker for the foreseeable future. After months of speculation, it was announced via news release today that Caesars Entertainment Corp. Has sold off the Rio All-Suites Hotel & Casino while at the same time confirming that the 2020 World Series of Poker will continue to be hosted at the venue despite the sale. Dec 11, 2019  Those skills were put to the test at the final table of the World Series of Poker Circuit Bicycle Casino $1,700 Main Event, and in the end it was El. Official website of the World Series of Poker Tournament. Featuring poker tournament coverage of events, schedules and news. Play online poker games like the WSOP pros. The company's resorts operate primarily under the Caesars®, Harrah's® and Horseshoe® brand names. Caesars also owns the World Series of Poker® and the London Clubs International family of casinos. For more information, please visit www.caesars.com.

The Sun City resort has hosted various concerts and events, including the Miss South Africa and Miss South Africa Teen Pageant. These pageants take place annually in Sun City’s Super Bowl Arena and the Valley of Waves. It also hosted Miss World pageant five times, from 1992–1995 and 2001. The resort was also the site of the Sun City Agreement.

In 2001, Sun City was the site of the 2nd IIFA Awards. Held at the Superbowl Arena, it honoured both artistic and technical excellence of professionals in Bollywood, for that year. Also on that year on 19 May, Irish vocal pop band Westlife held a concert for their Where Dreams Come True Tour supporting their album Coast to Coast.

In 2014, the movie Blended, with Drew Barrymore and Adam Sandler, premiered on the premises after being filmed mostly at the resort.

Facilities[edit]

Notable facilities at Sun City:

• The Valley Of Waves
• The Gary Player Country Club
• Zip 2000
• SunStar
• Sun Central
• The Maze Of The Lost City
• Sun City Casino
• South African Hall Of Fame
• Segaetsho Cultural Village
• Mankwe Gametrackers & Pilanesberg Game Reserve
• Waterworld
• Kwena Gardens

See also[edit]

References[edit]

1. ^ ^abcde(18 October 1985). '`Sun City` Album Tackles Apartheid Issue'. Chicago Tribune (Chicago).
2. ^ ^abcd'Elton John South Africa tour jogs memories of Sun City gigs'. The Nation. 11 January 2008. Archived from the original on 19 December 2013. Retrieved 18 December 2013.
3. ^ ^abc'The sins of St Freddie'. The Guardian. 14 January 2005. Retrieved 18 December 2013.
4. ^'Oct. 25, 1980: Weaver vs Coetzee - A Heavyweight Slugfest In Sun City'. The Fight City. 2018-10-25. Retrieved 2019-01-23.
5. ^'Soho Hotel | Sun City South Africa'. www.sun-city-south-africa.com. Retrieved 2019-01-23.
6. ^'Cascades | Sun City South Africa'. www.sun-city-south-africa.com. Retrieved 2019-01-23.
7. ^'Sun City Golf | Gary Player Country Club | Lost City Golf Course'. suncity.hotel.co.za. Retrieved 2019-01-23.

External links[edit]

Sun International Casinos South Africa

Sun International Cape Town