Build it and they will come
A LONG-TIME Taipans board member says a new purpose-built pop-up basketball arena to be built in Spence St is “exciting” to keep the NBL club in FNQ for the start of this season.
“It is exciting times for us that we are able to secure a hometown venue for the season, because it was getting a bit desperate there,” Taipans board member Mike Scott said. Last week Sports Minister Mick de Brennie revealed the plan to build a temporary 2000-seat basketball arena on the old Bunnings Warehouse site on Spence St.
A LONG-TIME Taipans board member says a new purpose-built pop-up basketball arena to be built in Spence St is “exciting” to keep the NBL club in FNQ for the start of this season.
Sports Minister Mick de Brenni on Friday afternoon revealed a new plan to build a temporary 2000-seat basketball arena, with the Cairns Convention Centre unavailable until early February, at the old Bunnings Warehouse site.
Despite the club forecasting a dire situation earlier this year if an alternative venue in FNQ was not found, over two days on from the State Government’s Spence St site proposal, the Taipans are yet to publicly acknowledge the offer or let their fans know.
However, Taipans board member Mike Scott was asked about the situation on ABC Grandstand on Saturday morning, following de Brenni revealing the new arena in the Weekend Post.
“It is exciting times for us that we are able to secure a hometown venue for the season, because it was getting a bit desperate there,” Scott said.
“We will start our season with our home games on Spence St and when the convention centre is ready, we can roll the remaining home games back there.”
The State Government will cover all costs involved.
The 2020-21 NBL competition is due to start in early December and run through to April.
Speaking on Friday afternoon, Mr de Brenni said he was impressed by the pitch from NBL coach of the year Mike Kelly recently, with the respected mentor conveying to the Minister just how important playing in Cairns would be to the club’s current roster and prospective free agents.
The NBL’s free agency period opens on Wednesday, with the community-owned team already having a handful of players under contract already.