03 July 2024
The AIS Arena has reopened its doors as a multi-purpose and fully accessible venue with new seating, lighting and air-conditioning among the many upgrades.
The Minister for Finance and Senator for the ACT, The Hon Katy Gallagher and the Minister for Sport, The Hon Anika Wells visited the AIS campus in Canberra this morning to officially reopen the new look AIS Arena with the work made possible thanks to a $15 million investment from the Australian Government.
“The AIS Arena has hosted many iconic sporting and community events over the past 40 years and now these upgrades mean it can host even more events for everyone to enjoy,” Minister Wells said.
“The new look AIS Arena is able to host a wide range of sporting events catering for able and para sport from the grassroots to elite as well as community events.”
The upgrades include:
- New fixed and retractable seating to accommodate a wide range of sport, music and community events
- New lighting, scoreboards, LED screens and PA system
- Air-conditioning
- Glass viewing platforms for wheelchair users, a hearing loop and accessible bathrooms
- Modern and flexible changerooms and green rooms
- A new floor that can be set up and packed down as required and used by multiple sports
The AIS Arena closed to the public in 2020 due to safety concerns and briefly reopened in September 2021 to support the ACT’s COVID-19 vaccine rollout where it operated as a mass vaccination clinic and administered more than 288,000 COVID-19 vaccinations to the ACT community.
Australian Sports Commission (ASC) CEO Kieren Perkins OAM thanked the Australian Government for their ongoing support.
“The AIS Arena is a much-loved venue and we’re grateful to the Australian Government for investing in this facility that will provide more opportunities for Australians to get involved in sport,” Mr Perkins said.
“We know sporting events are a great source of pride for many Australians and I look forward to welcoming a host of sport, entertainment and community events to campus.”
Events on the Arena’s schedule for the second half of 2024 include the Junior Pan Pacific Swimming Championships Opening Ceremony, Uni Sport National Championships, Skipping Australia National Championships and ICN Body Building World Championships.
The ASC also continues to work closely with the UC Capitals to bring WNBL games back to the AIS Arena in time for the 2024/25 season.