Cape Town's 2010 FIFA World Cup Stadium location and its spatial and environmental justice implications

Abstract

Mega sport stadiums continue to be built for special tournaments using public revenue despite criticism regarding their efficacy to contribute positively, as was the case with the 2010 FIFA Men's World Cup in South Africa, and Cape Town in particular. Given the city's urban development priorities and objectives, officials opted to upgrade a stadium in Athlone, an economically depressed but symbolically- and strategically-located suburb. In contrast, FIFA insisted on a new mega stadium in Green Point, a scenic suburb next to the Cape Town city center and Table Mountain heritage site. The aim of this chapter is to describe and compare the spatial and environmental justice implications of the Athlone and Cape Town stadiums. Adopting a critical realist perspective and a comparative case study approach, this chapter first outlines the city's urban development priorities and objectives prior to 2010, then chronicles the decision-making dynamics behind the Cape Town stadium location. Against this background, the chapter then describes and compares both sites and stadiums in terms of their possible implications. While there is a degree of environmental justice, gains are small compared to costs, while the spatial justice seems questionable considering the location of the Cape Town stadium.