Marion Tennis Club, kicked out for basketball stadium, given new home at sports precinct

It was blindsided when it booted out of its long-term home in Adelaide’s southern suburbs – now this tennis club has just been given good news.

A southern suburbs tennis club is set to move into the Marion Sports Precinct after months of uncertainty.

Marion Tennis Club was left devastated after its local council announced it would be demolishing its leased Norfolk Rd site to develop its new five-court basketball stadium.

Marion Council made the decision was made behind closed doors, blindsiding the club.

At a special meeting on Tuesday, elected members endorsed a proposal to build four tennis courts on the southern side of the former croquet club site at Sturt Rd.

The plan will also see the clubhouse repurposed for the tennis club.

Marion Tennis Club members Tony Davey, Nigel Dally, Liz Hearn, Pat Carey, Kym Morgan and Korbyn Hearn, 9.

The site was earlier earmarked for an ice arena but the project was scrapped as a result of increased construction costs.

Marion Tennis Club President Kym Morgan welcomed the announcement.

“This is a great result for tennis, the Marion community and our club’s 200-odd members,” he said.

He recently said that in a bid to keep the club alive, membership had nearly doubled.

Mayor Kris Hanna said the move would guarantee the club a home for the next generation

“I think we’ve aced it,” he said. “They’ve got an improved clubhouse and four courts in the Marion Sports Precinct, which is exactly where they said they wanted to be.”

Council said the future use of the northern area of the site was yet to be discussed.

The club will have until January 17 to make an official decision on the offer.

Marion Council announced last week Studio Nine Architects had been awarded the design tender to build the new Marion Basketball Stadium at Norfolk Rd.