Construction of the $130 million State Basketball Centre expansion is set to begin mid-year with four companies today invited to submit detailed submissions to build the game-changing project.
The addition of 10 new indoor courts will serve grassroots and elite basketball players and make the Wantirna South centre the largest basketball facility in the country.
Hansen Yuncken, Kane Constructions, Adco Constructions and BESIX Watpac have been shortlisted from 12 companies that lodged initial expressions of interest. The successful contractor is expected to be announced in the second quarter of 2021 with construction to start shortly afterwards.
The Andrews Labor Government provided a $22 million boost to the State Basketball Centre project in the Victorian Budget 2020/21, taking the Government's investment to $105 million. The Knox City Council is contributing $25 million.
Deputy Premier James Merlino said the centre would cement Melbourne's south-east as the heartland of Australian basketball and attract more than 2 million people each year.
The transformed State Basketball Centre will create a grassroots and high-performance hub featuring 16 indoor community courts, professional training facilities for the local WNBL and NBL teams and new administration spaces.
The centre will be a mega base for Basketball Victoria, Deakin Melbourne Boomers (WNBL), South East Melbourne Phoenix (NBL), Basketball Australia and one of Australia's largest basketball associations, Knox Basketball Inc.
Basketball Victoria's high-performance and pathway program will have cutting-edge training facilities to develop up and coming athletes while the expanded centre will also house a regional gymnastics facility.
As stated by Deputy Premier James Merlino
"More people hit the court in Melbourne's south-east more than anywhere else in the state - that's why we're delivering the ultimate home court advantage and providing facilities where they're needed most."
As stated by Member for Bayswater Jackson Taylor
"This state-of-the-art facility will provide 10 new community courts for our local basketball competitions in Melbourne's growing south-east."
As stated by Member for Mount Waverley Matt Fregon
"With this project we're making sure our community has access to the best basketball and gymnastics facilities and will provide the opportunity for more local sportspeople to participate and excel."
As stated by Knox City Council mayor Cr Lisa Cooper
"We are proud to see Knox maintain its reputation as the heartland of basketball and provide more people with the opportunity to participate in their favourite sports."
