Kerzner’s most monumental and controversial achievement was the creation of Sun City. In an area north of Johannesburg where there were no roads and no infrastructure, Sol imagined and delivered the most ambitious resort project in all of Africa. Commencing work in 1975, over the next ten years, Kerzner built four hotels, a man-made lake, two Gary Player golf courses, and an entertainment center with an indoor 6,000-seat arena, which played host to a world-class roster of artists including Queen, Frank Sinatra, Liza Minelli, Shirley Bassey, as well as huge world title fights, and many other spectacular events.
In 1994, Kerzner made his first major acquisition outside Africa: The Paradise Island Resort in The Bahamas. Here, he launched a major re-development and expansion project and transformed this bankrupt property into the extravagant Atlantis Resort, a revolutionary 2,300-room resort that included one of the world’s largest man-made marine habitats and the Caribbean’s biggest casino.
In 1996, Kerzner opened the hugely successful Mohegan Sun casino in Uncasvill, Connecticut in the United States and in 2000 opened the second phase of the project including a 1,200-room hotel through a joint venture with the Mohegan Tribe of Connecticut.The property is one of the largest gambling and entertainment complexes in the United States.
Kerzner proceeded to extend the Atlantis brand globally with the development of Atlantis, The Palm in Dubai. This US$1.5 billion, 1,500-room destination resort featured the largest aquarium and waterpark in the Middle East, luxury retail outlets, and restaurants featuring internationally renowned celebrity chefs.
The Casino Monticello was inaugurated on October 8, 2008. In mid-2009 the entertainment center, called Paseo Monticello, was opened to the public, and in December of that year the five-star hotel was inaugurated, on which occasion two concerts were held at the parking lot of the Monticello Grand Casino, where singers Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony performed for the first time together in Chile.
Kerzner’s impact on the international resort industry cannot be understated. From his modest start in life, his career spanned six decades, establishing well over 80 hotel and casino properties, in more than a dozen countries. His determination, perseverance, and monumental ingenuity have truly transformed the integrated destination resort space, and his impact on the industry can be seen and felt all over the world.
Source: GMB
