Government ticks off Tasmania JackJumpers high performance centre in Kingston with Basketball Tasmania announcing new plan for community courts

Basketball Tasmania has unveiled a three stage plan to improve community infrastructure following the Tasmanian Government’s call on the JackJumpers new high performance centre.

The Tasmania JackJumpers high performance centre will now be built in Kingston. (Photo by Kelly Defina/Getty Images).

The Tasmania JackJumpers have been given the green light to relocate it’s yet to be constructed high performance centre from Glenorchy to Kingston with Basketball Tasmania unveiling fresh plans for community courts following the government’s tick of approval.

Just a day after the NBL24 champions called for the Tasmanian government to support the move, Premier Jeremy Rockliff and Acting Minister for Sport and Events, Nick Duigan, released a statement supporting the proposal while also confirming the community courts would still go ahead in the northern suburbs.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - MARCH 31: (L-R) Jeremy Rockliff, Premier of Tasmania, Christine Finnegan Chief Executive Officer, Larry Kestelman, NBL Owner pose for a photo after game five of the NBL Championship Grand Final Series between Melbourne United and Tasmania JackJumpers at John Cain Arena, on March 31, 2024, in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Kelly Defina/Getty Images)

“The Tasmanian Government is willing to progress the JackJumpers preference to build the high-performance centre in Kingston, with the absolute proviso that our commitment to building community courts in the Northern Suburbs is also delivered,” Mr Rockliff said.

“We remain 100 per cent committed to increasing community courts in the Glenorchy municipality.

“The high-performance centre was going to be connected to the Indoor Multi-Sport Facility at Wilkinson Point, however, the two projects can stand alone.”

Mr Rockliff’s quick response was well received by the JackJumpers with CEO Christine Finnegan thanking both the government and the Kingborough council for their support.

“We’re delighted with the swift response from the Acting Minister and the Government’s support in pursuing Kingston as the home of the club’s High-Performance Centre,” Finnegan said.

“The proposal also has the full support of the Kingborough Council, and we thank Mayor Paula Wriedt and her team’s work in this process.”

With the original site of the JackJumpers home base in Glenorchy to include community accessible courts, Basketball Tasmania released plans for a three stage project to ensure the northern and surrounding suburbs still receives it’s much needed infrastructure.

Glenorchy Basketball Club players Riley Causby 13, Lily Anning 11 and Glenorchy Basketball Club president Kate Clark at Wilkinsons Point. Picture: Chris Kidd

Stage One includes the addition of two courts to Claremont College and a four-court site at Rugby Park, providing homes and club rooms for Glenorchy and Hobart Basketball Associations as well as a home facility for the Hobart Chargers.

Stage Two focuses on improving existing dated and non-compliant courts at Moonah, Kingborough and Warrane resulting in upgrades to five courts and one new court.

Stage Three of the plan outlines the potential for a further six new courts, two club rooms and upgrades to court surfaces, dated and non-compliant facilities at Clarence, Sorell and Brighton.

“When we heard of the potential for the JackJumpers’ facility to shift to Kingborough, we saw this as an opportunity to reframe the best way forward for basketball,” Basketball Tasmania CEO Ben Smith said.

“We’ve been clear for quite some time about our desire to develop clubs and club culture as part of the basketball experience in Southern Tasmania.

“We are confident that as we progress through the stages of this plan with the Tasmanian Government, we can create vibrant sporting clubs and off-court experiences to match expanded on-court opportunities through a net gain of 13 courts across the three stages.”

While Basketball Tasmania made no mention of the planned courts at Wilkinson’s Point, Acting Glenorchy City Council Mayor Sue Hickey said the government must deliver what was promised but added they were open to other locations in Glenorchy other than Wilkinson’s Point.