Cairns Taipans rule out relocation for NBL as home court upgraded

The Cairns Taipans will not relocate for the NBL 2020-21 season as fears grow they will be left homeless this summer.

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The Cairns Taipans will not relocate for the NBL 2020-21 season as fears grow they will be left homeless this summer.

Further delays on the $176 million Cairns Convention Centre expansion project has threatened to throw the Taipans’ upcoming NBL season into disarray.

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With no other venue in Cairns suitable to host NBL games, there is a fear the Taipans will be forced to take home games away from the Far North as they look to capitalise on their exciting run to the NBL finals last season.

Fears of a shift to our greatest city rival, Townsville, were quashed by Taipans president Troy Stone yesterday, as he outlined how the community- owned club has pushed the State Government for a solution which would allow the club to play in front of the Orange Army.

Cairns Taipans president Troy Stone and Mulgrave MP Curtis Pitt.

“We’ve been working with the State Government for some time and continue to do that, with the NBL as well,” Stone said. “We’re looking to change the schedule of works so we can play our season and work in conjunction with the convention centre.

“If we can’t play at the convention centre, it’s going to be a dire situation for the club.”

The Taipans’ priority is to play all home games out of the convention centre, and have called on adjustments to be made to the work schedule to allow for that to happen.

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But moving to Townsville, even in the short term, is not an option at this time.

“Townsville is not on the radar for us,” Stone said.

“We see that as a big step backwards if we had to take our home season on the road to Townsville or anywhere else. Call it as it is: we may not come back from that.”

Stone said the club would consider taking games to other regions, like Rockhampton, the home of major sponsor CQ University, or Darwin, but the priority was to “corporate partners, sponsors, our members, and our fans here in Cairns”.

NBL Owner and Executive Chairman Larry Kestelman said that while the organisation was supportive of the venue upgrade, it would be disastrous for the NBL and Cairns if the Taipans couldn’t play at their home court.

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“While we welcome the redevelopment, we have asked the government to schedule the relevant works after the NBL season is completed so as to minimise disruption for the Taipans,” Kestelman said.

“We intend to have fans back in venues when our season is scheduled to start later this year and the convention centre is the only viable venue in Cairns and it would be disastrous if it was not available.

“We look forward to reaching agreement with the government to ensure that we can continue to bring world class sport and entertainment to the people of Cairns this season.”

Originally published as Cairns Taipans rule out relocation for NBL as home court upgraded