Top facts about Sun City – the original SA casino

There are a LOT of casinos dotted around South Africa since the gambling laws were revised. Some are quite well-known – even famous in their own right (Emperors Palace, Monte Casino) – while others cater to a smaller localised clientele (Frontier Inn in Bethlehem is a cute and cosy example), but none will ever surpass the legend that is Sun City.

Sun City was the first, the original, the Big Mama of South African casinos. From its inception way back in the mists of 1979 to its revamp and extension that brought us the Lost City, this is the symbol of gambling in SA, a palace to opulence, fun, thrills and the lure of Lady Luck.

Modern visitors will see the glam and hi-tech vacation destination, but older players will remember Sun City as a bastion of excess in a dour and oppressive era in South Africa’s history, a place where you could hit the slots, play some cards, put real money on the table and, just maybe, hit that famous jackpot and walk away a millionaire. Where you could get treated like high-roller with 5-star accommodation. Where your every need was taken care of. Oh, and also the ‘legal’ place where you could watch naughty adult films!

What else about Sun City made it exceptional? We took a look.

Top interesting facts about Sun City

• Built in 1979 (42 years old this year!).
• The only place within the borders of South Africa where you could legally gamble.
• Although it was within South Africa’s borders, it was actually in what was then known as a Bantustan or independent homeland for African people known as Bophuthatswana.
• It was the brainchild of Sol Kerzner who went on to become one of the most famous hoteliers and property tycoons in the world (The Atlantis in Bermuda is also a Sol Kerzner project).
• It was the start of, and the crown jewel, in what became Sun International – a global resorts and casino chain.
• During the Artists Against Apartheid era, the only place you could see live international music events was at the Sun City Arena. Queen, Tina Turner, Rod Stewart, Elton John, Julio Iglesias, Ray Charles, Black Sabbath and other famous musical acts performed for audiences starved of international experiences.
• The modern resort features four separate but interlinked hotels: the Cascades, the Cabanas, the original Sun City hotel and the insane Palace of the Lost City.

Shading even the original – The Palace of the Lost City at Sun City

• How insane? The Palace of the Lost City is the world’s largest themed resort hotel.
• Built in 1992 it cost almost R800,000,000.
• At the height of construction 5,000 people were hands-on working at the site.
• 2,000,000 cubic metres of earth were moved and 300,000 cubic meters of rock were blasted.
• 1,000,000 bricks were laid on average each month.
• It sits in the centre of a 25-hectare man-made botanical garden (more like jungle) with close to 2,000,000 trees, plants and shrubs.
• The family-favourite Valley of the Waves attraction holds and uses almost 23,000,000 litres of water.
• It is a feat of engineering. The ceiling dome of the Royal Entrance is 25m high, is 16m in diameter and is held up by 6 columns. The roof of the Crystal Court has a 29m span that has to hold the weight of 5 floors above it!
• The mural on the ceiling of the Royal Entrance chamber took 5,000 hours to paint by hand and it was done just the way Michelangelo did it for the Sistine Chapel – entirely by hand!
• Almost everything you see is hand crafted or hand carved – the furniture, the fixtures, the murals, the tapestries, even the wooden floors and the 8m tall entrance doors.

Bonus fact

• Sun City is still one of the most popular local and international traveler attractions in the country.

Bonus bonus fact

•  Sun City as a whole, with a lot of focus on The Palace of the Lost City, was the location for the Adam Sandler/Drew Barrymore rom-com Blended