NBL slam-dunk bid for Tassie

EXCLUSIVE: National Basketball League owner Larry Kestelman has unveiled his masterplan for a world-class precinct in Glenorchy. Read the details of what he has planned.

Wilkinson Point, including the Derwent Entertainment Centre, would be transformed under a masterplan by NBL owner Larry Kestelman

National Basketball League owner Larry Kestelman has unveiled his masterplan for a world-class lifestyle precinct at Wilkinsons Point, Glenorchy, that would see up to $200 million invested into the area.

Ahead of the NBL Blitz pre-season competition hitting Tasmania this week, the Mercury can reveal Mr Kestelman’s grand plan for the waterside property include a hotel, restaurants, multi-purpose indoor sports facilities, a high-performance centre and retail shops.

The project hinges on support from the Tasmanian Government to refurbish the Derwent Entertainment Centre.

NBL owner Larry Kestelman has revealed his vision for the Derwent Entertainment Centre and surrounds. Picture: ZAK SIMMONDS

Mr Kestelman, owner and executive chairman of the NBL, is in exclusive negotiations with the Glenorchy City Council over the sale of the Derwent Entertainment Centre and Wilkinsons Point.

He said his masterplan with the State Government’s backing would see Tasmania return to arguably the second-best basketball league in the world behind the NBA.

He said architects were assessing the DEC and the amount of funding needed to bring the venue into the 21st century.

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He stressed that public funding would be needed only for the basketball infrastructure in the centre including enhanced sporting facilities, not for his grand plans for the surrounding area.

“This cannot be done without government,” Mr Kestelman said.

“I’m certainly not going to invest all of my money into the facility. The commercial aspect of it has nothing to do with the government, but the DEC itself, that’s a government conversation.

“The rest of it is a commercial proposition and we were certainly not asking for money from government to develop the commercial aspects of Wilkinsons Point but the DEC and the training facilities and the community facilities, that’s a conversation with the government.”

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Mr Kestelman and the Glenorchy council are about half way through their 120-day exclusive negotiation time frame and he said they were progressing well.

He said once the masterplan was approved, talks would step up with the government.

“The idea is to create an amazing proposition for the council and for Tasmania. The masterplan needs to get approved first and shortly after that we’ll be presenting to the government the requirements for the DEC and the elite sports component,” he said.

“We’re hoping all negotiations by the end of the year will be wrapped up both with the Council and the State Government.

“That will then allow us to also at the same time issue the [NBL] licence.”

The masterplan is for a year-round precinct, not just around NBL match days, with discussions already under way with MONA ferry operators for a stop at Wilkinsons Point.

“We want community to be interactive with it,” Mr Kestelman said.

“That’s why we’re building the elite sports facility. We’re also building four courts for multi-purpose sports for people to come with kids and families and participate so that way it will bring it to life by day and night.

“Obviously with the coffee shops, the food and beverage [facilities] and the hotel we want it to be a lively place that operates not just when there is an event on but actually 365 days a year.”

Tasmanians can register their support for a Tasmanian NBL team at www.NBLTas.com.au and view the masterplan at www.wilkinsonspoint.com.au, which will go live from Monday morning.

The Derwent Entertainment Centre could become a multi-purpose indoor sports facilities under a new masterplan

Capacity of DEC not seen as issue

IT is not the size of the venue, but the experience for those attending that matters most, says NBL owner Larry Kestelman.

His masterplan for the Derwent Entertainment Centre and Wilkinsons Point will raise the DEC’s capacity from about 3500 to 5000.

But he believes it is the match-day experience that will be the secret to a Tasmanian NBL’s side success, not just how many it gets through the door.

Kestelman’s aim — with government support — is to make the DEC on par with other NBL venues around Australia.

“It doesn’t matter whether it’s a 15,000-seat venue or a 5000-seat venue, it is [ensuring] what you see on television and what you see from a consumer’s point of view is quite consistent and everything is at an elite level,” Mr Kestelman said.

“The lighting is right, we want to see fireworks, and we want to see an amazing game day as it is a product of entertainment.

“It’s not just a product of playing basketball so it needs to be presented in the right way.”

Included in the proposed overhaul of the 30-year-old venue are a “jumbotron” scoreboard and replay screen as well as other audio visual equipment, airconditioning and corporate hospitality facilities.

“Everything has to be done on a global scale,” Mr Kestelman said.

“I think you fit the population and I think a 5000-seat venue works fine as long as it’s done really well. It [the DEC] is a very, very tired facility and I think everyone in Tasmania knows that. I jokingly say it’s a 30-year-old facility that feels like it’s a 50-year-old facility.”

He said the plan was to have a Tasmanian NBL team competing next year, but the 2021-22 season might be more realistic.