WA Australian Sports Centre Trust to take over ownership of the Arena Joondalup

14/11/96

The State Government has announced that the Western Australian Sports Centre Trust will take over ownership and on-going management of the Arena Joondalup.

Sport and Recreation Minister Norman Moore and Lands Minister Graham Kierath said in a joint statement that the trust would take over control of the Arena from LandCorp on January 1, 1997.

"The Arena was developed by LandCorp as part of the overall Joondalup City project to ensure recreational and sporting facilities were provided to meet the needs of the growing Joondalup community," Mr Kierath said.

Stage one of the multi-use Arena Joondalup includes football, soccer, hockey, basketball, tennis, gymnastics and aerobics, together with function centre and bistro facilities.

Mr Moore said the WA Sports Centre Trust also operates the Challenge Stadium (formerly the Superdrome) and was well qualified and committed to the ongoing development of the Arena.

"The expertise that has been developed by the trust in its management of Challenge Stadium over the past 10 years will be a big factor in the future development of the Arena," he said.

"There will be significant economies of scale in a central body managing two of the State's premier sporting facilities."

The Arena, home of the Joondalup Falcons, has hosted national and international events including Australian netball competitions, the National Basketball League Cup, the International Volleyball Challenge, the Australian Trampolining Championships, the Australasian and Pacific Pipe Band Championships, the Lifestyle Expo and several Wiggles' concerts.

Widely acclaimed for its architectural and functional attributes, stage one of the Arena was opened by Premier Richard Court on Anzac Day 1994.

Total development costs of stage one exceeded $16 million.

The complex sits on 35 ha of land dedicated to sport and recreation activities and is adjacent to the northern suburbs railway reserve which has scope for a special events station to be built.

The Arena is planned to accommodate further development including an aquatic centre, additional basketball courts and a range of other sporting facilities for a regional population forecast to grow from its present 215,000 to more than 500,000 people.

Media contacts: Steve Manchee 481 2133, Anabel Gomez 3211444

or Michelle Downie (LandCorp) 400 7442