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Durban rolled out the red carpet on Thursday night as hundreds of guests – from celebrities to high rollers and everybody in between – turned out to celebrate the grand relaunch of the city’s landmark entertainment hot spot, the Suncoast.
While the venue was not closed during its R1.6 billion refurbishment project, it certainly wasn’t at its best during that time.
But Thursday’s opening – in perfect time to welcome tourists over the festive season – proved that the wait was worth it.
The relaunch party was hosted at Suncoast’s new 2 200m² multipurpose venue, The Globe, transplanted from Silverstar Casino in Gauteng to fulfil the eventing needs of its coastal cousin.
The gigantic, white, dome-shaped Globe was festooned inside with giant white balloons of all sizes on the ceiling, while otherworldly stilt walkers, clad in white, flashed about on the floor.
The guest list was sizeable, and so was the catering. A plethora of eats and treats was on offer: sushi, lamb chops, prawns, fish and chips, chilli pineapple, and so much more.
On the tables sat bottles of chilled Moët champagne and the bar was open for everything from tequila shooters to Jägerbombs.
By the time MC Jeannie D got on stage in her red satin cocktail dress to welcome the guests and allow for the Tsogo Sun executives to make it all official, she had trouble being heard over the din of a few hundred people having a good time.
The entertainment for the evening was suitably spectacular with dancing clowns, violinists playing in mid-air wearing voluminous white gowns, a dancer who combined lights and movement, and acrobats careening through the air over the audiences’ heads.
As a particularly fabulous party trick, the dessert table descended from the ceiling to reveal a sweet tooth’s every desire.
The main act was a set by singing sensation Lira. Classy and radiant as always, she too sported a white suit and got the crowd in the mood for the afterparty.
There were lots of celebrities among the crowd, including actor Chris Jaftha, model and “fitfluencer” Taz Falconer, Miss Earth SA 2018 Nazia Wadee and a host of other familiar faces.
The new Suncoast on Durban’s Golden Mile now covers an area equivalent to five rugby fields. It boasts 21 places to eat, a new Barnyard Theatre with a seating capacity of 400, a posh sea-facing high-rollers’ casino, as well as 1 850 slot machines and eight cinemas.
All it needs now is a bumper tourist season to keep the party going.
