NBL targets Canberra Cannons revival amid AIS Arena upgrades

Liberal senator Zed Seselja has announced $11.4 million to rehabilitate and reopen the mothballed AIS Arena in Bruce, with Labor vowing to match that funding should they be elected.

NBL commissioner Jeremy Loeliger says upgrades to lighting, fire safety systems, lifts, mechanical services, electrical systems and stadium seating are "a great first step in terms of bringing it back to its former glory".

Now NBL officials want to work with federal and territory governments to fund further upgrades as part of a deal that could see the league become the AIS Arena's venue manager, having already struck a similar partnership at Hobart's Derwent Entertainment Centre [the home of expansion team the Tasmania JackJumpers].

That in turn would open the door for the Cannons to return to the NBL, with league owner Larry Kestelman targeting Canberra for expansion - and Loeliger says it could happen sooner rather than later.

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"It doesn't need to be that far away at all. We've demonstrated with the JackJumpers we were able to turn around a refurbishment with very little lead time indeed," Loeliger said.

"From there we went from announcement to playing our first game in little over 18 months. We'd probably plan it a few seasons down the way. Having toured the facility, I don't think the upgrades required are so expensive you'd need to think too much longer ahead than that.

"We know exactly what's required to rejuvenate a venue of that vintage in line with customers' expectations in 2022. We've done exactly that in Hobart at the Derwent Entertainment Centre. It's a building that was of very similar vintage to AIS Arena.

"We came up to Canberra a couple of weeks ago and had a look at the bones of AIS Arena, wanting to do a bit of a comparison with the exercise we'd just been through down there at the new home for the JackJumpers.

"Our sense is it's a very similar job in terms of bringing it up to the standards of an NBL facility, and a facility consistent with expectations of venue hirers and customers in this day and age. We delivered it on time and on budget, and to a standard that has obviously been very popular.

"We've certainly had preliminary conversations with both [federal and territory government] stakeholders and wanted to test sentiment as to whether or not there is an appetite to see the Cannons return to Canberra. It's certainly something we think Canberra is deserving of."

Work is expected to begin within six months, and the AIS Arena is expected to reopen by the first half of next year, but the Canberra Capitals say it is "absolutely critical" the venue is ready by the start of the next WNBL season.

University of Canberra director of sport Carrie Graf has outlined a desire to have the Capitals open their 2022-23 campaign at the AIS Arena in a grand re-opening.

The Capitals have played all home games at the National Convention Centre since the doors to the arena were slammed shut in March 2020, days after the club secured back-to-back WNBL titles.

Graf's long-term vision is to have the Capitals playing out of a purpose-built arena at the University of Canberra to avoid another situation that left the club "homeless" ahead of this past season's finals series.

"The past few years for venue availability for the Caps has been outrageously difficult," Graf said.

"The NCCC had limited availability with COVID overlay. On top of all that, for us to be looking down the barrel of a semi-final contest at Tuggeranong Southern Cross Club, investing money in that to get it up to speed and then we don't even get to play in a venue we shouldn't have been playing in anyway in my view.

"Absolutely critical [the AIS Arena] is ready to roll for high performance women's sport come October this year.

"The arena has got bigger capacity, it's a sport facility. The challenges at the NCCC are the back of house, it's not a custom-made high performance sport facility. The arena certainly has those facilities.

"At this stage we'd be looking at a fairly even split again, but it really depends on the schedule and venue availability, and which games we think we can take there.

"To open the season in that venue, to welcome the Caps back to the arena in that venue that has so much high performance sport history would be critical at the start of the year."

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