Sun City was developed by the hotel magnateSol Kerzner as part of his Sun International group of properties. It was officially opened on 7 December 1979, then located in the Bantustan of Bophuthatswana. As Bophuthatswana had been declared an independent state by South Africa's apartheid government, it could provide entertainment such as gambling and topless revue shows, which were banned in South Africa. Those factors, as well as its relatively-close location to the large metropolitan areas of Pretoria and Johannesburg, ensured that Sun City soon became a popular holiday and weekend destination. The United Nations had imposed a cultural boycott on South Africa in condemnation of apartheid. To overcome this, Kerzner offered substantial financial incentives to performing artists to use Sun City as a venue. Several acts disregarded the boycott and performed at the venue, such as the Beach Boys, Linda Ronstadt, Cher, Millie Jackson, Liza Minnelli, Frank Sinatra, Paul Anka, Status Quo, Rod Stewart, and Elton John. British rock band Queen's series of performances at the venue in October 1984—in transgression of the boycott—caused considerable controversy, prompting criticism in the British music press, a fine from the Musicians' Union, and Queen's inclusion on the United Nations' blacklisted artists. Following the criticism, Queen defended their decision, citing the fact that they had insisted they played only to desegregated audiences. They also donated to a school for the deaf and blind. On 25 October 1980, Sun City's "Superbowl" hosted a racially mixed world heavyweight boxing championship fight between champion American Mike Weaver and challenger South African Gerrie Coetzee. It was won by Weaver by thirteenth-round knockout. The fight was for Weaver's World Boxing Association world heavyweight title. In 1985, E Street Band guitarist Steven Van Zandt made the venue the focus of his music-industry activist groupArtists United Against Apartheid. Forty-nine top recording artists collaborated on a song called "Sun City", in which they pledged they would not perform at the resort because of their opposition to apartheid. Additionally, Simple Minds included the song as part of a live medley on their Live in the City of Lightdouble album in 1987.
Post-apartheid
Sun City has continued since Bophutatswana was re-incorporated in the new South Africa in 1994. The resort has four hotels:
Sun City has the Vacation Club which is a hotel but also sold in a timeshare scheme. Sun City also has two international-standard 18-hole golf courses, the Gary Player Country Club and the Lost City Golf Course, both designed by Gary Player. The Gary Player Country Club is home to the Nedbank Golf Challenge that is held annually. The Sun City resort has hosted various concerts and events, including the Miss South Africa and Miss South Africa Teen Pageant. These pageants take place annually in Sun City's Super Bowl Arena and the Valley of Waves. It also hosted Miss World pageant five times, from 1992-1995 and 2001. The resort was also the site of the Sun City Agreement. In 2001, Sun City was the site of the 2nd IIFA Awards. Held at the Arena, it honoured both artistic and technical excellence of professionals in Bollywood, for that year. Also on that year on 19 May, Irish vocal pop band Westlife held a concert for their Where Dreams Come True Tour supporting their album Coast to Coast. In 2014, the movie Blended, with Drew Barrymore and Adam Sandler, premiered on the premises after being filmed mostly at the resort.
