Green Point is ready for big day

The sight of a long caravan of police cars, inching their way to the main entrance of the newly built Green Point Stadium, was not exactly a pretty one. As one wondered whether it was a confidence-building measure barely a few days after an off-duty police inspector was stabbed on the highway from the airport leading to the city, one of the policemen on wheels corrected me.

"It's one of the routine security drills that we have been having for some time now," he answers before wheeling into the parking zone of what looks to be an awe-inspiring addition to the sporting venues of this city. If Cape Town had been famous for its Newlands Rugby Stadium, where they won the World Cup in 1995 or the picturesque cricket facility next to it, this 66,000-seater stadium dwarfs them in terms of size and design.

This is where France and Uruguay are scheduled to set the ball rolling on June 11, the opening day of the World Cup, in what would be the first of eight matches including a semifinal.

Amazing facility

"It's an amazing facility really. For those of us covering the growth of this stadium, I must say the authorities have done exceedingly well to meet the deadline," says Tim Wege, a freelance photographer present to cover the mock security drill.

The stadium has been handed over to Fifa last December and it has hosted four friendlies so far as a trial run. The authorities throw it open for visitors for an hour's guided tour four days a week and it has turned out to be a ‘must stop' on the tourists' list.

Located within a few minutes' drive from the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront — one of the most happening places of the city — the structure stands out for the size as well as the uniqueness of the noise-reducing cladding it's covered with. "The real test for the noise-reducing mechanism may come on June 18, when England take on Algeria. That was one of the first matches to be sold out and we are expecting a huge footfall," a restaurant owner said.

However, people in hospitality business here are also bracing up for a ‘double header' of sorts on June 11-12. While France will play their opener on June 11, the next day will see the South African rugby team playing a Test against the French at the Newlands. No prizes for guessing where the priority of the rugby-crazy nation will lie over those two days.

Once the World Cup ends, the stadium is likely to be used by some of the Cape Town-based football clubs like the Ajax Cape Town and Santos for their home matches. It's also supposed to host some of the major events and concerts.

At Green Point

June 11: Uruguay vs France; June 14: Italy vs Paraguay; June 18: England vs Algeria; June 21: Portugal vs Korea DPR; June 24: The Netherlands vs Cameroon; June 29: Second round match; July 3: Quarterfinal; July 6: Semifinal.