Memorial Drive steels itself for new Adelaide International tournament
A $10 million upgrade of one of South Australia’s most well known sports facilities saw a major leap forward today with the installation of the first of six, 50 tonne steel trusses.
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Almost eight months after a taxpayer funded, $10 million upgrade of one of South Australia’s most well known sports facilities was announced, a major leap forward was taken today.
State Premier Steven Marshall was on hand to witness the first of six, 50 tonne trusses, each 78.5 metres long, to be erected across the north to south length of Memorial Drive’s showpiece tennis court.
A further ‘canoe’ truss will be put up every five days until the roof structure is completed late next month said Tennis Australia’s major projects chief, Lynton Franzi.
“Each truss has to be transported down from SA Structural in Edinburgh between 1am and 3am. There’s a police escort and it takes about one and a half hours,” he said.
Each truss is brought down in three pieces which are then assembled on site before they are put in place by Adelaide construction outfit, Kennett Builders.
Cox Architecture, which was behind the adjacent Adelaide Oval redevelopment, is behind the upgrade design.
The stadium revamp will be completed later this year in time for the inaugural, $2 million prize money Adelaide International, men’s and women’s tennis tournament which will take place at Memorial Drive from 12 January to 18 January, 2020.
Wimbledon champion Simona Halep has already committed to playing in Adelaide.
“I am getting very excited about bringing international tennis back to Memorial Drive,” Premier Marshall said.
The revamped stadium will leave a strong, training legacy given its undercover status, a first for SA, Mr Marshall said.