Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly inaugurated the Gezira Sporting Club branch in 6 October city on Saturday. Construction works on the entire club are scheduled to be finalised in two years to host stadiums for various games. The total cost of the new Gezira branch is expected to reach EGP 1.2 billion. The first phase of the club which was inaugurated houses three Lido buildings, the Club House, the administrative building and a branch of Banque du Caire with a 10-year sponsorship contract of EGP 131 million. Also opened were five-ball pitches, a pool, gymnasium, billiards and bridges hall, all comprising 30 percent, or 18 acres, of the club at a cost of EGP 300 million. Madbouly opened the club in the presence of a host of ministers including Ashraf Sobhy, minister of youth and sports, and Amr Gazareen, chairman of the board of directors of the Gezira Sporting Club. Businessmen Naguib Sawiris and Yassin Mansour were also in attendance alongside former ministers and club board members. During the opening Gazareen presented the club shield to a number of figures whose efforts contributed to the establishment of the club which encountered numerous obstacles at the onset. The honoured figures included the Minister of State for Military Production Major General Mohamed El-Assar, Minister of Youth and Sports Sobhy, Chairman of the Military Production Company Major General Maged El-Sarti, in addition to Tarek Fayed, president of Banque du Caire, and Adel Hamed, president of Telecom Egypt. Members of the board of directors of the Gezira Sporting Club, including Tarek Hashish, the vice president, Raouf Nour, the treasurer, Lamia Saqr, Tarek Nassar, Badawi Khalifa, Mona Awad, Ayman Haqqi, and Ezz Nour were also present. The dinner party was followed by a concert enlivened by consummate pianist Omar Khairat and his orchestra. The first branch of the Gezira Sporting Club, established in 1882, is built over 50 acres. the first stage that has been opened comprises three Lido buildings, the social building, the administrative building and a branch of Banque du Caire with a sponsorship contract worth 131 million pounds for 10 years. In addition to the five-ball playgrounds, the recreational pool, the gymnasium, the billiards and the bridges hall, which include 30 per cent of the club's area at a cost of 300 million pounds, covering an area of 18 acres.
