THE Wild Coast Sun is an exclusive coastal resort set on one of the most unspoiled beaches in Southern Africa on 750 hectares of natural bush between the Umtamvuna and Mzamba rivers overlooking the Indian Ocean and with access to the beach, gaming facilities, golf course and forest reserves. The resort has 396 rooms, conference facilities and convenient restaurants and bars and it is currently undergoing an upgrade spanning three years. With 30 years of operations behind the resort, Sun International decided to renew its gaming licence which necessitated a ZAR400-million ($58-million) redevelopment and facelift not involving any structural changes but rather a complete refurbishment of fittings and furniture. The initial phase of works included the upgrade of the casino and public areas and refurbishment of the buffet restaurant, the Lagoon Bar and 57 rooms. The next phase, which commenced at the start of 2011, includes refurbishment of all conference rooms and facilities, Squires restaurant and the fast food area and a kids’ area called the Aloha Village. This phase will also include refurbishment of another 182 rooms including corridors and parking areas. During 2011, a new water park will be added and the resort is also undergoing a full on infrastructure uplift including new generators and an upgrade of the chiller units for the air conditioning system. The final stage of the facelift will run from January to June 2012 comprising 103 guest rooms and corridors. According to development manager Mlondi Mashinini, the project has been challenging owing to the fact that Sun International has to keep the resort in operation and guests happy while all the improvements are going on. To manage this challenge, the whole team has had to work with great synergy blocking out entire areas where works are going on.
