19 March 2008

By Lesego Madumo

MOGALE City’s Silverstar Casino opens its business floors and all its entertainment facilities to the general public on 21 March, Good Friday.

The grand, official opening of the casino, which is expected to attract media frenzy, celebrities and industry stakeholders, is set for Tuesday, 15 April. “This celebration will be a dazzling event that will showcase the casino in its entirety,” says Liesl Williams, its publicist.

Entertainment facilities earmarked to open on Friday include a smoking and non-smoking sections with roulette and blackjack tables, as well as 392 ultra-modern slot machines, and a star privé, which offers gamblers a private space for roulette, blackjack, and baccarat.

The casino’s banqueting and conference facilities, five eateries, fast-food kiosks and bars will be opened. So will a kids’ gaming arcade and a crèche – the Twinkle Stars facility –to look after and entertain young children.

The casino has been built on the banks of a lake and comprises a 60m high musical fountain, the Silverstar Fountain Spectacular, imported from Europe and modelled on the legendary one at the Bellagio in Las Vegas; it is the biggest in the southern hemisphere.

Silverstar’s eateries – a range including Ciao Baby Cucina, Black Cherry coffee shop, Fashion TV Asian Restaurant and the STK restaurant as well as the Star Buffet – have been erected along a boardwalk, which creates a waterfront ambiance. The Silverstar Hotel, a 38-room five-star hostelry, will soon include a Solstice Spa that offers a view over the water.

According to Williams, Silverstar has been received with much fanfare by locals and patrons in just under three months of the opening of some of its facilities. “Silverstar Casino has been very well received by the public,” she confirms.

The trendy casino has been in full swing since the evening of Tuesday, 11 December last year, offering hundreds of job opportunities and positive spin-offs for locals.

“Silverstar Casino [provides] world-class entertainment to West Rand residents and visitors from other areas of Gauteng,” says Venetia Howes, its marketing manager.

She notes that the casino offers gamblers a full range of gaming facilities, from slots to tables. “All of our equipment is brand new and our smart card gaming technology ensures safe, hygienic gambling for every guest,” she adds.

Silverstar Casino has attracted over 200 000 gamblers or guests a month. Some 22 800 people have signed up to its Silverstar Strike It Rich loyalty programme, which has been designed to reward frequent patrons with redeemable points and tickets for promotional draws, amongst other benefits.

It is unique in that it is Mogale City’s only gambling attraction, and the only non-themed casino in Gauteng. It holds the province’s sixth and final gaming licence.

Williams says that the only part of the casino that is still under construction is its Solstice Spa, which will be opened in July. “We are busy putting all of our final touches on the rest of the complex,” she says, adding that the casino is more than ready for its opening night. “We are simply contemporary, eclectic and stylish. We offer every guest an uplifting experience every time they visit us.”

So far, the casino has hired and trained approximately 700 locals. Another 300 jobs have been created through concessionaires and contractors.

Through employing local staff, Silverstar Casino has already started to add value to the community, contributing to the West Rand Development Trust on an ongoing basis. The funds are driven towards developing sustainable projects that support both the environment and local residents.

“Silverstar Casino has been committed to empowering the local community,” Williams notes.

Silverstar Casino is in Muldersdrift, just off the R28 Krugersdorp-Pretoria highway. It is close to the Pinehaven intersection and the Cradle of Humankind. It has been 10 years in the making; Gold Reef Resorts has a R1-billion controlling stake in the venture.

The casino is located just a few kilometers from where the new Amakhosi Stadium will be built.

Fismer highlighted that the gambling industry has done much to stimulate new investment, encourage tourism, create jobs, and give business opportunities to the previously disadvantaged. “But we must exercise great care that we do not ignore the fact that with gambling comes the risk of individual dependency and financial stress,” he added.

He said the establishment of gambling facilities posed a danger, and afforded people the opportunity to gamble excessively, bringing disrepute to themselves and their families.

“That is why we developed new legislation and instituted strict regulations to ensure that gambling licensees complied with government’s objective of minimising the incidence of problem gambling,” he noted, adding that the country’s gambling industry had fulfilled the NGB’s expectations.

The National Responsible Gambling Programme endeavours to promote a culture of responsible gambling in the country.

NGB acting chief executive, Themba Marasha concurred with Fismer. “In a country such as ours, where poverty and social exclusion are widespread, we have a duty to ensure that gambling does not lead to broken families, debt and addiction.”

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