Canberra Capitals optimistic AIS Arena will reopen in time for next season

The arena was closed in 2020 after it was deemed unsafe and has languished in the time since.

The closure triggered a number of flow on effects, most notably for the Capitals who utilised the venue on a regular basis.

A shortage of suitable indoor arenas in the ACT forced the team to consider taking home finals games away from Canberra last season.

While they successfully utilised the National Convention Centre throughout the season, the venue was unavailable for finals fixtures. After considering their options, the Capitals ultimately settled on the 1300-seat Southern Cross Stadium in Tuggeranong.

Those issues will soon be a thing of the past with Finance Minister Katy Gallagher confirming $15 million will be allocated to AIS Arena in an interview with The Canberra Times.

It's hoped the work will be finished before the start of the next WNBL season. The news was welcomed by University of Canberra head of sport Carrie Graf.

"With the abrupt closure of the AIS Arena two years ago, it led to the facility dramas of last season for the Capitals," Graf said. "We welcome the funding to upgrade and refurbish the arena.

"From a high-performance sport perspective, being open for the start of the next WNBL season would be a big plus."

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With the AIS Arena a federally-run facility, the ACT government has long called for their federal counterparts to provide the funding required to resurrect the venue.

Chief Minister Andrew Barr welcomed Gallagher's funding commitment and urged officials to start work as soon as possible.

"The previous Liberal government failed to invest in the AIS Arena to the point that it had to be closed due to safety concerns," Barr said.

"It was very frustrating that it took an election process to see any progress on the most basic of funding for the Arena. This is an urgent priority for the ACT, and we welcome the news [Monday] that it will be funded in [Tuesday's] budget."

In another bonus for the Capitals, the government has also committed $750,000 to UC for a feasibility study on a new indoor arena on their Bruce campus.

While the funding secures the short-term future of the AIS Arena, the 41-year-old venue's long-term future remains under a cloud.

UC view their plans for an indoor centre as a viable long-term replacement.

"It will be a multi-use facility that caters to community sport all the way through to high-performance sport," Graf said. "Most notably it will provide a home for the Capitals, one of our successful national sporting teams who don't have a true home to train and play."

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