The transformation of the Memorial Drive sporting precinct got one step closer to realisation today with members of the Memorial Drive Tennis Club voting to proceed with the redevelopment proposal.
Tennis SA CEO Steven Baldas described the occasion as a very exciting day for tennis in South Australia.
“The proposed Memorial Drive redevelopment will transform Adelaide’s sporting precinct whilst preserving the heritage and legacy of this great site for years to come,” Mr Baldas said.
“Today’s decision will enable Tennis SA to pursue its strategic mission to get more people playing tennis more often as well as supporting the next generation of tennis champions by providing state-of-the-art training facilities.”
“The Memorial Drive facilities have produced many world-class tennis players over the years including Lleyton Hewitt, John Fitzgerald, Mark Woodforde, Ken McGregor, Alicia Molik and Thanasi Kokkinakis.”
Stage 1 fast facts
The $9.79 million Stage 1 project includes:
- A new outdoor show court and two new match courts to enable more world class events, such as Davis Cup and Fed Cup, to be hosted in Adelaide
- A state-of-the-art National Academy training venue with all three Grand Slam surfaces – clay, grass and hardcourt – so South Australia can continue to produce world class players
- A Walk of Champions profiling the historical position of the site and South Australia’s tennis legends
- Resurfacing of current match courts to ensure the venue can continue to host tournaments such as the World Tennis Challenge.
Memorial Drive vision
The Memorial Drive redevelopment will bring life and energy to the area and the surrounding Riverbank Precinct 365 days of the year and includes:
- Australia’s newest tennis complex and a new destination for significant international matches, such as Davis Cup and Fed Cup, Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) and Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) events
- A desirable location for the world’s tennis elite to visit and compete in the lead-up to the Australian Open
- A preferred practice base for Australia’s tennis elite providing three of the world’s Grand Slam court surfaces, one of only two complexes within Australia to do so, enabling athletes to train in their home environment
- A high performance academy training environment
- South Australia’s first “all weather arena” with a state of the art “Wimbledon style” retractable roof and crowd seating design, creating the ultimate atmosphere to attract small to medium concerts and events to the Riverbank precinct
- Spaces for new cafes and offices, with potential to accommodate other sports or attract corporate headquarters from interstate or overseas.
Realising this vision will ensure Tennis SA’s financial sustainability by allowing the organisation to diversify revenue streams and become commercially viable, reducing its reliance on government funding for future operations.
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