South Australian Sports Institute opens doors to new $88m sports precinct at Mile End

Take a look inside the multimillion-dollar training ground for SA’s next generation of athletes.

The $88m South Australian Sports Institute (SASI) at Mile End opened its doors for the first time on Sunday. Picture: SASI

The $88 million South Australian Sports Institute (SASI) training facility for the next generation of athletes opened its doors at Mile End on Sunday.

A joint venture by the state government and UniSA, the facility will support local athletes to reach their full potential on the worldstage.

“This space has been designed to be inclusive and cater to all types of elite athletes,” SASI director Keren Faulkner said.

“Not only does it empower our local athletes to become the best versions of themselves both in sport and their everyday lives, but it also positions Adelaide as a world leader in sport and opens up future opportunities.”

A joint venture by the state government and UniSA, the facility will support local athletes to reach their full potential. Picture: SASI

SASI’s new HQ is also the training grounds of the Adelaide 36ers, Adelaide Thunderbirds and Adelaide Lightning. Picture: SASI

The state government has invested $68 million into SASI with work set to begin soon on a $92 million netball and indoor sports facility within the precinct. Picture: SASI

The high-performance sports precinct, which is the new training base for the Adelaide 36ers, Adelaide Thunderbirds and Adelaide Lightning features a strength and conditioning gym, environmental chamber, and ergometer training space.

There’s also a physiology laboratory, athlete health rooms and athlete recovery centre complete with a nutrition zone, hot and cold pools and dual saunas.

Olympic boxer Callum Peters said the new facility was incredible, despite not having a boxing ring yet.

“I’m loving it here,“ he said.

“To be the best, you gotta have the best and we’ve got that here.”

A world-class sport, research and education hub, the facility will support local athletes to reach their full potential from grassroots to the worldstage. Picture: SASI

Some of the facilities featured at the new SASI site. Picture: SASI

The state government has invested $68 million into SASI with work set to begin soon on a $92 million netball and indoor sports facility within the precinct, featuring the southern hemisphere’s only sport-specific aerodynamics centre.

Premier Peter Malinauskas said the new facilities would also inspire more kids to “get off the screens,” and play sport.

“To inspire those kids, we need our world-class elite athletes to deliver on their potential. And to do that, they must have truly world class facilities,” he said.

“This project delivers those facilities, which will serve SASI well in the lead-up to the Brisbane Olympics and beyond.”

Around 120 staff are based at the new site which was completed last September after construction began in early 2023.

Originally published as South Australian Sports Institute opens doors to new $88m sports precinct at Mile End