PR83383

LONDON, Mar. 21, 2020 /PRNewswire=KYODO JBN/--

Solomon (Sol) Kerzner, one of the world's most innovative hoteliers, founder of

the Southern Sun hotel group, Sun International and Kerzner International, has

died of cancer at the Kerzner family home, Leeukoppie Estate, in Cape Town,

South Africa. Always a maverick, Kerzner was a titan of the hotel and resort

industry who redefined the scale and scope of integrated destination resorts

worldwide. He was 84.

The son of Russian immigrants, Kerzner was born in Johannesburg, South Africa,

in 1935. The youngest of four and the only son, Sol was a working class boy

from a rough neighbourhood but he would grow up to become one of the most

influential entrepreneurs in South Africa. Having founded the country's two

largest hotel groups - Southern Sun and Sun International - Kerzner would go on

to achieve international prominence with groundbreaking resorts that helped

transform the tourism industries not only of his home country but of Mauritius,

The Maldives, The Bahamas, Dubai and other important international destinations.

The complexity and sheer determination of the man is only hinted at by the fact

that at the age of 12 Sol played with the Johannesburg Symphony Orchestra while,

in the same year, he took up boxing - initially for reasons of self-defense  in the tough

Bez Valley suburb where he grew up and, later, as a serious sport.  Almost needless to say,

by the time he graduated from the University of  the Witwatersrand with a degree in

accountancy, Kerzner was varsity welterweight champion.

For someone who lived much of his life in the public eye, Kerzner was a

surprisingly private person and although many of his former colleagues and

partners will attest to this remarkable man's fighting spirit and grit, few

knew that Sol also had a softer side.

Kerzner's career in hospitality began in 1962 when he decided to leave the

accounting profession and purchased The Astra, a small inn in Durban, South

Africa. Kerzner quickly transformed this rundown establishment into one of the

most popular hotels in the area, a success that whetted Sol's insatiable

appetite for innovation and demonstrated a trademark ingenuity that would

define his 60-year career.

Aged just 26, Kerzner became convinced that there was in South Africa an

opportunity for a hospitality offering far ahead of anything that was available

then in the country. At a time when no one thought it could be done, Kerzner's

breakthrough project was The Beverly Hills, Umhlanga Rocks, the first five-star

hotel in all of South Africa. Built on a deserted stretch of coastline North of

Durban, once again Kerzner defied the odds and the hotel became a great success

and earned Sol a reputation as South Africa's pre-eminent hotelier. Kerzner

went on to build the 450-room Elangeni Hotel on the Durban beachfront and then

partnered with South African Breweries to establish Southern Sun Hotels, which

by 1983 operated 30 luxury hotels encompassing more than 7,000 keys.

Kerzner's most monumental and controversial achievement was the creation of Sun

City. Here, 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. Once again, Kerzner defied the naysayers to train a best of breed

workforce and to operate Sun City on a totally non-racial basis. Even the most

cynical of visiting overseas journalists had to concede defeat in trying to

find racism behind the operation of the vast resort.

From his earliest hotels, Sol Kerzner was guided by a single driving

imperative: to 'Blow away the customer'. When scouting for locations around

Durban, or later in Mauritius or The Bahamas, if Sol was not 'blown away' by

the location, he would move on and find another stretch of beach to build the

hotel and resort. 'Second-best' or 'Good Enough' was never an option for

Kerzner, or for the thousands of people who worked for him from Bophuthatswana

to Dubai and this rare blend of creativity and acute business acumen earned Sol

a reputation and celebrity status throughout South Africa.

In 1994, following the first democratic elections in South Africa, Kerzner was

asked by the newly-elected President Nelson Mandela to arrange the VIP function

for the Presidential inauguration, which was attended by most of the world's

leaders and Heads of State. It was a special occasion and one that cemented

Kerzner's close relationship with the iconic world statesman who said of Sol:

"He makes a difference everywhere he goes. Sol, thank you for changing our

World!" Theirs was a genuine friendship that would endure until Mandela's own

passing in 2013.

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.

Atlantis, with its coherent theme, story and mythical legend held massive

appeal to visitors of all ages. Later expansions at Atlantis of The Cove and

The Reef hotels added a further 1,100 rooms.

By this time, Sol was working closely with his son, Butch, whom he had

persuaded to move from a promising career in corporate finance to join him at

the company, which had then been rebranded as Kerzner International. Sol and

Butch's ascent as internationally acclaimed hoteliers continued and in 1996 the

father and son duo built their first casino resort property in the United States -

The Mohegan Sun - a property that is still today one of the largest gaming and

entertainment complexes in North America.

Reflecting on Kerzner's international accomplishment, Ian Douglas, a friend and

employee at Kerzner's various companies for 20 years commented: "Sol was

someone who possessed a rare combination of creative genius, uncanny financial

acuity and an astonishing energy, which he poured into every business he

touched. Nothing he built was ever boring and he never chased the money. He

only chased success. He was always trailblazing, always in pursuit of bigger,

better, new, different, more exacting and exciting projects around the globe."

Sol and Butch went on to launch One&Only Resorts, which established

award-winning luxury properties in The Bahamas, Mexico, Mauritius, The

Maldives, South Africa and Dubai. True to Kerzner's nature as an innovator and

perfectionist, each One&Only property was not only unique in its design and

ambiance, the brand set a new standard in the casual luxury resort space by

offering the finest guest experience across every possible touchpoint.

In 2006, Butch Kerzner, who had recently assumed the role of CEO of Kerzner

International, was tragically killed in a helicopter accident while scouting

for sites in the Dominican Republic. Sol, who was by then Executive Chairman

of Kerzner International, decided to return to the role of CEO, to continue the

work of the company and to complete what he and Butch had been working on.

Jeff Rubenstein, a lifelong friend, remembers those difficult days well: "Sol

believed that no matter where you come from, if you put in the hours, you would

succeed. He never used his circumstances or the tragedies he experienced in his

life as an excuse for failure. If tragedy was a burden to Sol, hard work was

the antidote and he himself always said, 'you just gotta box on.'"

Kerzner proceeded to extend the Atlantis brand globally with the development of

Atlantis, The Palm in Dubai. This $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.

Opening in late 2008 with the world's largest ever fireworks display, the

astonishing opening party achieved international media acclaim and attracted

celebrities and visitors from all over the planet.

In 2009, Kerzner returned to Africa to develop the 500-room Mazagan Beach

Resort in Morocco and also opened the One&Only Cape Town, situated in the

famous V&A Waterfront. Around the time of the launch of the One&Only Cape Town,

Kerzner said, "I went back to the Beverly Hills recently and I was so pleased to see

there were still six people there who'd been with me in 1964. It's still a very good hotel.

I think that one has to accept that over time we will experience good times, and times

that aren't so good. But if I look back and wonder what I would have changed and

done different, there's not too much. I think I've been fortunate to have a very broad

experience of life in many ways.

So, for me it's been an interesting journey. I have had tough times and good

times and through it all I have been determined to get it done. I can't imagine

doing anything else, it's been a blast. Every day that I spent in business was a joy!"

In December 2010, Kerzner's passion for hospitality was recognized in the Queen's Birthday

Honors list, with the award of the insignia Knight Commander of the Most Distinguished Order

of St. Michael and St. George (KCMG). Sol never used the title and was always surprised

and amused when people addressed him as 'Sir Sol'.

In 2012, the One&Only Group announced projects in China, Australia, and

Montenegro, and the following year saw the unveiling of plans for the third

Atlantis Resort on China's Hainan Island. Proposals to expand Atlantis, Dubai

with 800 additional rooms and over 230 luxury residential apartments in the

Royal Atlantis development were also announced, with Sol leading the planning

and design of these new projects for Kerzner International.

In 2014, Kerzner finally decided to exit Kerzner International and retired as

Chairman of the company.

Kerzner's impact on the international resort industry cannot be understated.

From his modest start in life, Sol's career spanned six decades, establishing

well over 80 hotel and casino properties, in more than a dozen countries.

Kerzner's 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.

In spite of his international celebrity status and the demands of maintaining a

massive business reputation, Sol always remained an intensely family-oriented

person. Andrea, his daughter reflects: "Dad taught us family values — no

matter how busy he was, he always made time for us, his family. He would take a

call from any one of us in the middle of an important meeting or fly half-way

across the world to get to a grandchild's birthday party. For Dad, his family

were everything, his joy."

Sol is survived by his children Andrea, Beverley, Brandon and Chantal and ten

grandchildren. His eldest son, Howard 'Butch' Kerzner died in 2006.

Sol Kerzner will be buried at a small, private funeral with only immediate

family in attendance.

Photo:

https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1136339/Nelson_Mandela__Sol_Kerzner.jpg

Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1136340/Sol_Kerzner.jpg

For more information and or further comment please contact:

Nicole Felix, The Phoenix Partnership

Email: nicole@phoenixpartnership.co.za

Tel: +27-82-733-8696

SOURCE: The Phoenix Partnership