Glenorchy basketball community fears losing JackJumpers high performance centre to Kingston

A basketball club fears parts of a combined JackJumpers and community facility promised for Wilkinsons Point are quietly being moved to an alternative location. Where it could go.

JackJumpers owner Larry Kestleman says he wants a High Performance Centre built as soon as possible. Picture: RICHARD JUPE

One of Hobart’s fastest-growing basketball clubs says it fears parts of the State Government’s combined $50 million JackJumpers High Performance Centre and Indoor Multi-Sport Facility, originally promised for Wilkinsons Point, are quietly being moved to an alternative location.

And Labor’s candidate for the Glenorchy-based upper house seat of Elwick, Tessa McLaughlin said growing speculation that the HPC would now be built in Kingston was hurting the northern suburbs community.

She’s calling on the government to make its intentions on the linked projects clear.

Kingborough Mayor Paula Wriedt. Picture Chris Kidd

Glenorchy Basketball Association president Kate Clark said while Tasmania’s NBL champions fully deserved a designated training centre of their own, clubs in her area would suffer if the government reneged on its pledge for a new, community-focused indoor multi-sport facility.

Ms Clark said her club was already being forced to turn players away after the JackJumpers’ on-court success had generated a surge in junior interest in the sport.

“We need an environment that’s attractive for families, where parents don’t have to go from one stadium to the next with different children in different age groups,’ Ms Clark said.

“We need a home, and at the moment we actually don’t have one.”

When announcing a $15 million commitment to construct a JackJumpers HPC within a community indoor multi-sport facility at Wilkinsons Point in late 2022, Premier Jeremy Rockliff described the combined amenity as a “clear win-win” for Tasmanian basketball.

At that time he said it would consolidate the JackJumpers’ existing links with local residents.

Acting Glenorchy mayor Sue Hickey. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

But Legislative Council hopeful Ms McLaughlin said her community now needed clarification from the government about whether the twin facilities would go ahead as promised.

Ms McLaughlin described the HPC as being “intertwined” with the promised indoor multi-sport facility at the site, which she said had been promised six years ago.

“Jeremy Rockliff needs to confirm the High Performance Centre is staying in Glenorchy, or come clean about their plans for a move,” Ms McLaughlin said.

When the Mercury asked the State Government whether it was still committed to building a combined facility at Wilkinsons Point as promised, it responded by confirming it had lodged a development application with the Glenorchy Council in mid 2023.

“We are proud and long supporters of basketball in Tasmania, having committed $49.7 million to build a new community indoor multi-sport facility and Jack Jumpers high performance training centre,” a spokesperson said.

Tessa McLaughlin Labor candidate for the seat of Elwick with Josh Willie Labor member for Clark and former member for Elwick. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

NBL and JackJumpers owner Larry Kestleman said the club was working closely with the government to ensure the HPC was built as soon as possible, but indicated he was open to the facility being located away from Wilkinsons Point.

“We would welcome any discussion about the location of the facility and note that the team currently trains in Kingston and many of the players and staff already live in the area,” Mr Kestleman said.

Kingborough mayor Paula Wriedt said while a decision on the location of the JackJumpers HPC was one for the State Government, her council “would welcome the opportunity to locate the facility in Kingston” and had expressed that view to the government.

Glenorchy acting mayor Sue Hickey said her council had not had any discussions with the State Government relating to the Wilkinsons Point basketball development moving to another location.