Sol Kerzner was the founding father of Sun City. He created the first hotel in the city in 1979 and opened the resort on December 7 as part of Bophuthatswana.
Kerzner chose Bophuthatswana as the location for Sun City because it was considered a separate entity and not subjected to the same rules of the country. That allowed his resorts to open casinos and gaming operations onsite.
The Sun City Super Bowl opened in the early 1980s as a concert and venue hall. Artists from around the world played the stage during the early part of the decade.
The song "Sun City" was released in 1985 by Steven Van Zandt and documented the problem of apartheid in the city. A total of 49 artists contributed to the song and declared they'd never play the area.
In 1994 Bophuthatswana was incorporated into South Africa. Following the incorporation, Kerzner opened three more hotels in Sun City including The Cabanas and the Cascades Hotel.
