Tasmania Devils and JackJumpers’ high performance centres will bring economic boom: Nick Duigan

The co-location of the Tasmania Devils’ and JackJumpers’ new high performance centres at Kingston will bring about an economic renaissance in the region, the state government says.

Chair of the Tasmania Football Club, Grant O’Brien and Kingborough Mayor Paula Wriedt at the Twin Ovals in Kingston announcing that the Devils’ AFL high performance centre will be built in Kingston. Picture: Linda Higginson

Co-locating the AFL and Tasmania JackJumpers high performance centres within the same sporting precinct will boost employment opportunities and supercharge the local economy, according to a leading figure in the state’s building and construction industry.

On Tuesday, Sports and Events Minister Nick Duigan, flanked by Tasmania Football Club chair Grant O’Brien and Kingborough Mayor Paula Wriedt, announced the Tasmania Devils’ high performance centre was shifting from the preferred site of Rosny to Kingston’s Twin Ovals.

It means the development will be co-located with the JackJumpers’ own new facility at Kingborough Sports Precinct.

Concept design of the JackJumpers high performance centre.

The Devils’ $70m headquarters and training base is due to be completed by October 2027, as set out in the government’s deal with the AFL, while the JackJumpers’ new home carries a $15m price tag.

The government will contribute $85m in funding across both projects.

Master Builders Tasmania director Nick Silcox said the announcement that the two facilities would be co-located “couldn’t have come at a better time” for the building and construction industry.

“We’re starting to see activity levels fall away, especially in the private sector. And this represents a great commitment to our industry and skills going forward for the Kingborough region,” he said.

JackJumpers high performance centre concept design.

Mr Silcox said the industry expected to see about 40 full-time workers assigned to the JackJumpers project and between 150-200 on the Devils’ high performance centre.

“The government’s commitment to these two projects into the future means that we’ll be able to retain our existing workforces and, at that point, once these projects come into the market, we’ll be even able to potentially grow them,” he said.

Sports and Events Minister Nick Duigan said the regional direct and indirect economic impact of the AFL high performance centre would equate to $23.7m by the time it officially opens in 2028.

“Once in full operation, the two projects will inject more than $55m income into the local and regional economy,” he said.

Sports Minister Nick Duigan. Picture: Linda Higginson

“[It’s] just a really great story for business; [it will be] … a sporting infrastructure centrepiece for the state, but also a really important economic driver for this region and Southern Tasmania more generally.”

Ms Wriedt said the co-location of the two clubs’ facilities would make Kingborough the sporting hub of Tasmania and the economic benefits would continue far beyond the construction period.

“Increased foot traffic from visitors, staff, and players will invigorate local shopping areas and create opportunities for new businesses to establish,” she said.

After the JackJumpers development was advertised by the Kingborough Council on Wednesday, the club’s CEO Christine Finnegan said she was “so excited to see the vision for our future training facility and cannot wait until this vision becomes reality”.

“We have worked really hard to deliver for the state of Tasmania out of our shared practice facilities over the past four seasons and this will be an enormous boost to our club cohesion and be key to the future recruitment of players when it comes to life,” she said.

Originally published as Tasmania Devils and JackJumpers’ high performance centres will bring economic boom: Nick Duigan