South Africa’s Umhlanga area within the Zulu Kingdom will gain a R660m (US$97.9m, £56.2m, 83.7m euro) leisure and entertainment development, to open before the end of 2007.

Marriott International has signed a letter of intent with resort developer and owner Notae Resorts to manage the 150-room hotel while other facilities will include luxury apartments, free-standing homes, conference facilities for up to 250 people, restaurants, an outdoor amphitheatre and a tourism centre.

The Umhlanga resort is one of a series of 17 developments in Africa scheduled to be built over the next 14 years as part of a billion-Rand black economic empowerment scheme from the Johannesburg-based Notae Resorts.

Notae Resorts is a joint venture with the ED Martin consortium and Westcliff Manor, both of whom represent investors from the US, and which is headed by Durban businessman Carl Eaton.

The Umhlanga land for redevelopment is currently used for agricultural purposes but a rezoning application has been put forward to the eThekwini municipality. If this is successful, ground should be broken on the project early in 2006 with a scheduled completion date of late 2007. Details: www.marriott.com