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Sun City, North West

 
Sun City, North West

 
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Sun City, North West
 
 
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Sun City is a luxury South Africa
South Africa

The Republic of South Africa, also known by Official names of South Africa, is a country located at the southern tip of the continent of Africa....
n casino
Casino

A casino is, in the modern sense of the word, a facility that houses and accommodates certain types of gambling activities. Casinos are most commonly built near or combined with hotels, restaurants, retail shopping, cruise ships and other tourist attractions....
 resort, situated in the North West Province. It is located about two hours' drive from Johannesburg
Johannesburg

Johannesburg also known as Joburg, is the largest city in South Africa. Johannesburg is the province Capital of Gauteng the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa....
, near the city of Rustenburg. The complex borders the Pilanesberg National Park
Pilanesberg National Park

The Pilanesberg Game Reserve is located in North West Province in South Africa, west of Pretoria. The park borders with the entertainment complex Sun City, North West....
.

City was developed by the hotel magnate Sol Kerzner
Sol Kerzner

Solomon Kerzner is a South African hotel and gambling magnate.Kerzner was born in Troyeville, Johannesburg, the youngest of four children to Jewish Russian immigrants....
 as part of his Sun International group of properties.






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Sun City
Sun City is a luxury South Africa
South Africa

The Republic of South Africa, also known by Official names of South Africa, is a country located at the southern tip of the continent of Africa....
n casino
Casino

A casino is, in the modern sense of the word, a facility that houses and accommodates certain types of gambling activities. Casinos are most commonly built near or combined with hotels, restaurants, retail shopping, cruise ships and other tourist attractions....
 resort, situated in the North West Province. It is located about two hours' drive from Johannesburg
Johannesburg

Johannesburg also known as Joburg, is the largest city in South Africa. Johannesburg is the province Capital of Gauteng the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa....
, near the city of Rustenburg. The complex borders the Pilanesberg National Park
Pilanesberg National Park

The Pilanesberg Game Reserve is located in North West Province in South Africa, west of Pretoria. The park borders with the entertainment complex Sun City, North West....
.

History

Sun City was developed by the hotel magnate Sol Kerzner
Sol Kerzner

Solomon Kerzner is a South African hotel and gambling magnate.Kerzner was born in Troyeville, Johannesburg, the youngest of four children to Jewish Russian immigrants....
 as part of his Sun International group of properties. It was officially opened on 7 December 1979; at the time it was located in the bantustan
Bantustan

A bantustan or euphemistically black african homeland or simply homeland, was territory set aside for black inhabitants of South Africa and South-West Africa , as part of the policy of South Africa under apartheid....
 of Bophuthatswana
Bophuthatswana

Bophuthatswana was a bantustan in the northwest of South Africa. It had a surface area of approximately 40 000 km? and consisted of seven enclaves dispersed over the former South African provinces of Cape Province, Transvaal and Orange Free State....
.

As Bophuthatswana had been declared an independent state by South Africa's apartheid government (although unrecognized as such by any other country), it was allowed to provide 'immoral' entertainment (in the eyes of the South African government) such as gambling
Gambling

Gambling is the wikt:wager#Verb of money or something of material Value on an event with an uncertain outcome with the primary intent of winning additional money and/or material goods....
 and topless revue shows
Nudity

Nudity is the state of wearing no clothing.Based on scientific research into louse it is estimated that humans have been wearing clothing for 650,000 years....
, which were banned in South Africa. These factors, as well as its relatively close location to the large metropolitan areas of Pretoria
Pretoria

Pretoria is a city located in the northern part of Gauteng Province, South Africa. It is one of the country's three Capital , serving as the Executive and de facto national capital; the others are Cape Town, the legislature capital, and Bloemfontein, the judicial capital....
 and Johannesburg
Johannesburg

Johannesburg also known as Joburg, is the largest city in South Africa. Johannesburg is the province Capital of Gauteng the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa....
, ensured that Sun City soon became (and stayed) a popular holiday and weekend destination. Many famous musicians such as Queen
Queen (band)

Queen were an England rock music band formed in 1970 in London by guitarist Brian May, lead vocalist Freddie Mercury and drummer Roger Meddows-Taylor, with bassist John Deacon completing the lineup the following year....
, Elton John
Elton John

Sir Elton Hercules John Order of the British Empire is an England singer-songwriter, composer and pianist.In his four-decade career, John has been one of the dominant forces in rock and popular music, especially during the 1970s....
, Linda Ronstadt
Linda Ronstadt

Maria Linda Ronstadt , known as Linda Ronstadt, is an United States popular music Singing and entertainer whose vocal styles in a variety of genres have resonated with the general public over the course of her four-decade career....
, Julio Iglesias
Julio Iglesias

Julio Iglesias De la Cueva is a Spain singer who has sold over 300 million albums in 14 languages and released 77 albums. According to Sony Music he is one of the top 10 best selling music artists ever....
, The O'Jays
The O'Jays

The O'Jays are a Cleveland Ohio-based soul/R&B group, originally consisting of Walter Williams , Bill Isles, Bobby Massey, William Powell and Eddie Levert ....
, Ray Charles
Ray Charles

Ray Charles Robinson , known by his stage name Ray Charles, was an United States pianist, singer, and songwriter who shaped the sound of rhythm and blues....
, Boney M., Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath

Black Sabbath are an English Rock music band. Formed in Birmingham in 1968 by Ozzy Osbourne , Tony Iommi , Geezer Butler , and Bill Ward , the band has since experienced multiple lineup changes, with a total of twenty-two former members....
, Rod Stewart
Rod Stewart

Roderick David "Rod" Stewart Order of the British Empire is a British singer and songwriter born and raised in London, England and currently residing in Epping....
, Tina Turner
Tina Turner

Tina Turner is an United States singer and actress whose career has spanned over 50 years and who has won numerous awards. Her achievements in the Rock genre have led to her being referred to as "The Queen of Rock 'n' Roll"....
, Dionne Warwick
Dionne Warwick

Dionne Warwick , is an American singer, actress, activist, United Nations Global Ambassador for the Food and Agriculture Organization, former United States Ambassador of Health, and humanitarian....
, Sarah Brightman
Sarah Brightman

Sarah Brightman is an English people Crossover soprano, actress, songwriter and dancer. She sings in many different languages including English language, Spanish language, French language, Latin language, German language, Italian language, Hindi language and Chinese language....
, Laura Branigan
Laura Branigan

Laura Branigan was an American singer-songwriter and actor of Irish American ancestry. She is best known for her Top-10 hit "Self Control" , her biggest hit from the Platinum album of the same name....
 and Thomas Anders
Thomas Anders

Thomas Anders is a Germany singer, composer and record producer. Anders was the lead singer of Germany's popular pop-duo Modern Talking, which was produced by Dieter Bohlen in 1984?1987 and in 1998?2003....
 (of Modern Talking
Modern Talking

Modern Talking was a German electronic music duo consisting of singer Thomas Anders and composer/producer Dieter Bohlen. Genre-wise they were often classified under euro disco....
 fame) also performed at the 'Sun City Super Bowl', a large auditorium which seats 6,230.

Sun City became the subject of considerable controversy in 1985 when E Street Band
E Street Band

The E Street Band is a musical group that has periodically toured and recorded with rock musician Bruce Springsteen since 1972.The band has also recorded , with a wide range of other artists including Bob Dylan, Meat Loaf, Bonnie Tyler, Air Supply, Dire Straits, David Bowie, Peter Gabriel, Sting , Ian Hunter , Ringo Starr, Ronnie Spector, G...
 guitarist Steven Van Zandt
Steven Van Zandt

Steven Van Zandt is an United States musician, songwriter, arranger, record producer, actor, and radio disc jockey, who frequently goes by the stage names Little Steven or Miami Steve....
 made it the focus of his music-industry activist group, Artists United Against Apartheid
Artists United Against Apartheid

Artists United Against Apartheid was a 1985 protest group founded by activism and performer Steven Van Zandt to protest apartheid in South Africa, that produced the song "Sun City " and the album Sun City that year....
. Forty-nine top recording artists collaborated on a song called "Sun City
Sun City (song)

"Sun City" is a 1985 in music protest song written by Steven Van Zandt and recorded by Artists United Against Apartheid to convey opposition to the South African policy of apartheid....
", in which they pledged they would never perform at the resort. Additionally, Simple Minds, on their double-live set album "Live in the City of Light" released in 1987, included a song called "Love Song - Sun City - Dance to the Music" in which they declare "I ain't gonna play Sun City."

Post-apartheid


Sun City has continued to flourish since Bophutatswana was re-incorporated in the new South Africa in 1994.

The resort has four hotels:
  • Sun City Hotel;
  • Cascades Hotel;
  • The Cabanas;
  • The Palace of the Lost City.


In addition to the four hotels, the complex includes time-share facilities called "The Sun City Vacation Club" which is a popular self catering facility.

Sun City also has two international-standard 18-hole golf
Golf

Golf is a sport in which players using many types of Golf club including wood , iron , and putter , attempt to hit golf ball into each hole on a golf course in the lowest possible number of strokes....
 courses, the Gary Player Country Club and the Lost City Golf Course, both designed by Gary Player
Gary Player

Gary Player is a South African professional golfer generally regarded as one of the greatest players in the game's history.Player was born in Johannesburg, South Africa....
. The Gary Player Country Club is home to the prestigious Nedbank Golf Challenge
Nedbank Golf Challenge

The Nedbank Golf Challenge is an annual men's professional golf tournament played at the Gary Player Country Club in Sun City, South Africa, North West , South Africa....
 (formerly the Nedbank Million Dollar Golf Challenge), while the Lost City Golf Course is noted for the 38 real crocodile
Crocodile

A crocodile is any species belonging to the family Crocodylidae . The term can also be used more loosely to include all members of the order Crocodilia: i.e....
s in the water feature of the 13th hole.

The resort was also the site of the Sun City Agreement
Sun City Agreement

The Sun City Agreement was an agreement that was signed between some of the warring parties in the Second Congo War on April 19, 2002 at the luxury South African casino resort of Sun City, South Africa, as a result of the Inter-Congolese dialogue ....
.

External links