Hills Basketball Stadium officially opens
Published on 16 March 2018
Hills Basketball Stadium officially opens with the launch of the 2018 Waratah Championship Season and Life Members Cup
The Hills Basketball Stadium was officially opened on Saturday, March 10, with the launch of the 2018 Waratah Championship Season and the Life Members Cup between the Hills Hornets and the Norths Bears marking the occasion.
The new and improved Stadium is already providing residents with more opportunities to join a local basketball team and be involved in a sport they love, while showcasing The Hills to the rest of the state.
Mayor of The Hills, Dr Michelle Byrne said residents have been watching the development of this venue for a number of years and it is now theirs to experience and enjoy.
"Hills Basketball Stadium is a state-of-the-art facility that generations of Hills residents will enjoy for years to come.” Mayor Byrne said.
“For a long time the Hills Basketball Stadium was at capacity unable to take on any more players. However, now with the bigger and better stadium there is room to grow and expand and to provide more opportunities for locals to pursue the sport rather than be turned away due to lack of space,” Mayor Byrne said.
"There are already some big events coming up and I look forward to seeing people from our region and from right across the state visit the stadium, boosting our local economy, creating more jobs and showcasing The Hills as a great place to live, grow, play and raise a family.
“Council has worked closely with the Hills Basketball Association over a number of years to make this expansion possible. It is a great example of what can be achieved when Local Government works in partnership with community groups such as the Hills Basketball Association.
“Congratulations to everyone involved in the project, including those who contributed to the vision, the planning and the development of this exciting, contemporary and now admired state-of-the-art basketball facility,” Mayor Byrne added.
Hills Basketball Association General Manager Steve Burke said the upgrade now allows for bigger events to be held at the indoor stadium.
“It’s fantastic that we’re now able to host larger events with a capacity crowd attending the Life Members Cup for the opening and many headline events including State and National level fixtures on the horizon,” Mr Burke said.
“The really exciting thing from our point of view is the fact that we’re now able to provide additional opportunities for our members and to meet the demand for more basketball courts and teams.
“We’re already catering for over 5,000 people on court each week, including over 1,000 in our Hornets Academy skills sessions. There’s something here for all ages and all ability levels and the extra courts mean we’re no longer turning people away,” Mr Burke added.
Council provided the Hills Basketball Association with a $3.25 million loan for the stadium expansion, to be re-paid over the course of the Association’s 20 year lease.
The upgrades included two new courts, including a show court with a 450-seat grandstand, new offices, first aid and function rooms and additional car parking.