Melbourne Park Redevelopment

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The Melbourne Park Redevelopment will ensure that the Australian Open will remain at Melbourne Park for many years to come.

The redeveloped venue will improve patron comfort by providing more open space and shade, increased seating capacity and better connections to public transport and the city.

Major Projects Victoria will work with Sport and Recreation Victoria, the Melbourne and Olympic Parks Trust and Tennis Australia to manage the redevelopment.

Stage 1

Cost: $363 million
Start date: April 2010
End date: in time for Australian Open 2015

Stage 1 of the redevelopment includes:

• a major upgrade to the Western Precinct and Margaret Court Arena  with the installation of a retractable roof and additional seating to increase crowd capacity by 1500 additional seats
• a new elevated Eastern Plaza and National Tennis Centre incorporating eight new indoor courts and 13 outdoor courts for elite training and general public use as well as change rooms, player facilities and a gymnasium
• a new footbridge over Olympic Boulevard that will provide a continuous pedestrian link from the MCG to AAMI Park – the Edwin Flack Bridge
• multi-level parking for up to 1000 cars and up to 28 buses.

Upgrades and improvements already made to the precinct include:

• a new timber deck and events space adjacent to the Rod Laver Arena  western concourse
• landscaping upgrades to the Oval, including a new underground  4.5 megalitre stormwater retention tank
• new entry stairs to Rod Laver Arena.

Stage 2

Work is also underway to plan for Stage 2 of the project, which will include:

• improvements to the centre of the Melbourne Park site
• Rod Laver Arena upgrade
• improvement to the public and player areas
• a new function centre
• a permanent broadcast media compound.