The rise in popularity of basketball in Ipswich is behind a push for a $170 million multi-sport stadium and hotel accommodation.
The Ipswich Basketball Association says that they are looking for funding from all levels of government to help construct the 5000 seat complex at Bundamba.
Recently the Ipswich Basketball Association came to an agreement with the Ipswich Turf Club to lease land for the project near the racecourse along Brisbane Road.
The club has already made a small start after securing a $15,000 grant from Basketball Queensland’s Facility Accelerator Program for a feasibility study and a full set of plans.
The proposed stadium would function as a multi-sports facility in Ipswich for not only basketball but also futsal, jujitsu and other sports.
Ipswich Basketball Association President Toni Caldwell said that they have long outgrown their existing stadium at JBS Arena in Booval.
“Some of our clubs have had to cap their numbers,” she said.
“We currently use three or four other venues each night to hold our junior competitions, especially for under 12s, 14s, 16s and 18 boys.
“We’ve maxed out all of the schools including Bremer, Ipswich Grammar, Ipswich Girls Grammar and Woodcrest — just to hold our junior competitions,” she said.
“So we’d hate to see kids not playing the sports they love because we don’t have the facilities in Ipswich to host them,” President Caldwell said.
Ipswich Basketball President Toni Caldwell said that this has been an issue in Ipswich for some time due to the rapid population growth in the region.
“Our current stadium with its original two courts are 60 years old and the other two courts are much older so we are doing our best to maintain the facility but we need that support to build a new multi-sport stadium for our region.
President Caldwell said that she has had discussions with local federal and state MPs including Jennifer Howard, Lance McCallum and Shayne Neumann as well as Ipswich Mayor Teresa Harding — who have so far been super positive about the project.
“Obviously we need funding for this but we also want support from Ipswich Council to run a feasibility study and put this on an advocacy program to start lobbying all levels of governments for the funding,” she said.
Ipswich Basketball Association President Toni Caldwell said that a new stadium and hotel accommodation would be a game changer for all sports, especially basketball.
“My goal is long term, that is if we have a facility like this with a 5000 seat show court, is to have a national league team and I know there’s a want for that in Ipswich.
“The project would also have massive economic benefits for the region and even more so as it will have an accommodation partner attached to the facility,” she said.
The Ipswich Basketball Association eventually plans to use JBS Arena at Booval as a training centre once they get a new multi-sports stadium.
