South Africans have taken to social media with heavy hearts to relive their memories of the Ticketpro Dome. This comes as RX Venue Management announced that the country’s largest indoor arena has been sold to a third party which does not operate in the event space.
In a statement released on Twitter, they said, “It is with a heavy heart that RX Venue Management today announces that after 20 years of being the management company of South Africa’s largest multipurpose indoor arena, The Ticketpro Dome has now been sold by the owners, Sasol Pension Fund. The Ticketpro Dome has now been sold by the owners, Sasol Pension Fund, to a third party which does not operate in the event space. This is a further devastating blow for the exhibitions, events and entertainment industry who have undoubtedly been the hardest hit during the COVID pandemic.”
Carol Weaving, MD of RX Africa, says: “This is extremely disappointing and heartbreaking for our industry. The Ticketpro Dome has been home to many international concerts and events in South Africa, and this will undoubtedly leave a huge void. The constant changes and severity of the Covid-19 restrictions have wreaked havoc amongst our stakeholders and across the supply chain. This has meant we were unable to change the outcome of Sasol Pension Fund decision to sell the venue due to a force majeure. We want to thank all our customers, suppliers and partners for their support over the past 20 years.”
“The Dome opened on 8 April 1998 with a concert by Diana Ross attended by over 15000 people with a special guest appearance by the late former president Nelson Mandela. Over the years, the venue has played host to top international music artists such as Pink, Katy Perry, Lionel Richie, Lauren Hill, Pharrell Williams, Celine Dion and Michael Bublé. On the local front, artists such as Prime Circle, The Parlotones, Lira, Toya de Lazy, Black Coffee, and the Soweto Gospel Choir have graced the stage. South African rapper Cassper Nyovest became the first local artist to sell out The Dome. Some 20,000 tickets were sold even before the event, suitably billed ‘Fill Up The Dome'”.
