Over 1,600 people made up of influential business leaders, investors, and society figures from Ghana and West Africa turned up for the maiden The Property & Polo Classic which took place on Saturday, March 7, at Accra Polo Club. Themed, “Desert Bloom: Celebrating resilience, beauty and growth in unexpected places”, the event which commenced at 12 p.m. brought into reality three facets of society: the sports aspect, represented by the Polo Club; the developers; and the networking opportunities for attendees.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with the paper, co-organiser, Benjamin Mensah stated that the event served as a catalyst for individuals who wanted to enjoy sports, those interested in buying properties, and property developers looking to connect with potential customers. “Actually, the event has been a success considering it been a maiden edition. I have spoken to quite a few people, and the feedback has always been very, very good. The numbers were quite solid.
“We had 1,600 people turn up from the hours of 12 p.m. and the number kept increasing time to time,” he said.
Benjamin Mensah acknowledged that while the event has achieved a huge success, the organising team made up of Lucy Blay and Kwabena Yankey needs to take stock, saying, “We must ask our developers for their feedback; some have already indicated where they would like us to improve.”
He added that, “after all, our developers are sponsors, which means they are invested in our business. The key question is whether they received a Return on Investment (ROI). If they did, that would indicate we should continue this initiative.
“Based on the feedback, it seems there is a desire for similar events to happen more frequently—perhaps not at the same location but certainly an opportunity to repeat this experience.”
While acknowledging that the organising team faced some challenges, especially with vendors, he’s hopeful that lessons and experience learnt will shape future events. Organisers of The Property & Polo Classic curated environment for serious conversations among developers from Accra, Dubai, and London.
With minimum entry ticket of GH¢700, patrons were entitled to light drinks, refreshments and food. For the upscale version, a table reservation ranges from GH¢10,000, which entitles up to six people entry, GH¢20,000 for eight people and GH¢30,000 for 10 people with VIP catering treatment based on the ranges.
With over 20 partners supporting the event, organisers provided a property gallery and showcase, desert bloom garden and creative photo installations, wellness corner, VIP network lounge, artisanal grazing tables, raffle ticketing and silent auction among others to meet luxury standards.
By Prince Fiifi Yorke