Memorial Drive stadium to receive new roof in $10 million upgrade

The Memorial Drive tennis centre is set to receive a new roof as part of a $10 million upgrade — and it may lead to Adelaide hosting a major tennis tournament within 12 months.

What the Memorial Drive Tennis Centre roof will look like.

• Memorial Drive show court redevelopment plan goes to cabinet
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Memorial Drive Tennis Centre will be covered with a new roof as part of a $10 million upgrade that will boost its chances of hosting more international events.

The 5000-capacity venue – which today hosts the Davis Cup tie between Australia and Bosnia/Herzegovina – will be covered by a canopy by the end of the year, according to the State Government.

The upgrade will allow year-round use of Memorial Drive, including for concerts, community events and other sports, such as netball and basketball.

Sports Minister Corey Wingard said the roof would turn Memorial Drive into a “live-site”, capable of screening sports matches played at neighbouring Adelaide Oval.

“The roof will also allow for the year-round training of the state’s tennis talent and for use by community groups who are able to access Memorial Drive,” Mr Wingard said yesterday.

The canopy will be fully funded by taxpayers. Cox Architecture, which was behind Adelaide Oval’s redevelopment, has produced designs for the upgrade.

The proposed canopy over Memorial Drive.

Memorial Drive Tennis Club as it stands now. Picture: Scott Barbour/Getty Images

A Government spokesman said a construction tender would be put out immediately, with work to start as early as next month.

The project will create the first covered tennis courts in Adelaide.

The State Government would not comment on whether the redevelopment would lead to South Australia landing the rights to host a major international tennis tournament next year.

The global tennis calendar has recently undergone a wholesale shake-up, with Sydney set to host a new 24-nation tournament – the ATP Cup – in January 2020.

That provides an opportunity for Adelaide to take over the Sydney International tournament. Alternatively, South Australia might host a leg of the ATP Cup.

However, the revamped Memorial Drive would likely compete against Western Australia and its 14,800-capacity Perth Arena for one or both of those events.

In order to attract a major tournament, Memorial Drive would be required to host up to 500 tennis officials, players and their entourages.

Premier Steven Marshall said yesterday the upgrade would increase Adelaide’s chances of securing major tournaments.

“This significant investment serves up an ace for Adelaide and South Australia,’’ Mr Marshall said.

“Not only will it advantage our growing $6.9 billion visitor economy and create jobs, it will put Memorial Drive firmly in the box seat to attract future world-class events.

“My Government is committed to investing in infrastructure projects that stimulate the economy, grow local jobs and leave a positive legacy for future generations.”

John Millman during the Davis Cup qualifiers on Friday. Picture: Scott Barbour/Getty Images

Australia’s Davis Cup captain Lleyton Hewitt last year argued for a major upgrade of Memorial Drive to propel Adelaide back on to the world tennis stage.

Adelaide has a proud history of producing top tennis players and coaches, including Hewitt, Darren Cahill, John Fitzgerald and doubles king Mark Woodforde. Woodforde said losing the long-running Adelaide International tournament to Brisbane (and its purpose-built Tennyson Tennis Centre) in 2009 left him in a state of despair.

“For me, it was about trying to maintain the bloodline in SA because SA had contributed so much to Australian tennis history,” Woodforde said.

“I would like to believe there is a connection to having the tournament (and developing talent).

“SA was going to go back to the dark ages again, being a second-class player-producing mill.

“I wanted to keep tennis alive in our state, we fought for so long to be known as a tennis-producing state.

“I didn’t want that to disappear. I still don’t.”

Last year, the Federal Government funded a $10 million revamp of tennis facilities at Next Gen Health Club, next to Memorial Drive.

That included a sunken court that can accommodate 500 spectators and double as a training/show court for events at Memorial Drive.

It also included 36 new or upgraded courts and a clay court centre of excellence.

The NSW Government last month announced a $50 million upgrade of the Ken Rosewall Arena, which was pivotal to Sydney being granted the rights for the ATP Cup. That project will also include a canopy over the arena.

 

The State Government says the canopy will be in place by the end of the year.

A slice of history

■ Memorial Drive was opened in October 1921 by South Australian Governor Sir Archibald Weigall.

■ Gerald Patterson won the first South Australian men’s singles championship in 1922.

■ The Davis Cup final has been held in Adelaide four times since 1952, when Frank Sedgman led the rout of a star-studded American outfit.

■ Roy Emerson won the final Australian Championships (now known as the Australian Open) at Memorial Drive in 1967.

■ The last time Adelaide hosted a Davis Cup tie was in 2004, when Australia was beaten 4-1 by Sweden in a world group first-round tie.

■ Memorial Drive has hosted many memorable concerts over the years, including Led Zeppelin in February 1972, the Rolling Stones in February 1973 and U2 in October 1989.