'Major step forward' - €38m redevelopment of National Basketball Arena gets green light
Ireland Facelift: Paul Of Dublin In Selim Fofana Against The National At Dick Fitzgerald/sportsfile In Tallaght, Basketball Switzerland Of David Arena Pic: Action
Basketball Ireland has been granted planning permission for the €38m redevelopment of the National Basketball Arena.
Having been given the green light by South Dublin City Council, the project will see the multi-sport arena double its capacity to 3,272, with works expected to take 18 months to complete.
The 8000 square metre facility will have space for four basketball courts. It will also house a gym, café, corporate facilities and office space for Basketball Ireland staff.
Basketball Ireland CEO, John Feehan hailed the news as a "major step forward".
“This is excellent news and a major step forward in bringing the new National Basketball Arena to fruition," he said. "The Arena will be transformative for Irish indoor sport, providing state-of-the-art facilities that will be on a par with our European counterparts.
“We haven’t finalised when the Arena redevelopment will commence, with financing a key element and we remain hopeful of Government support for the project through the Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund (LSSIF).
"We expect news on whether we’ve been successful with our LSSIF application in the coming weeks and that will help inform our next steps.”
Basketball Ireland chairperson, Prof. Seamas Donnelly, added: “This is an important milestone for basketball in Ireland. Having a new Arena is key part of our 5-year Strategic Plan and is essential to help maintain the growth of the sport.
"Our registered playing population increased 21.5% last year alone and revenue generated from the Arena will filter down to every area of the game.
“Overall this is also a huge boost for Irish indoor sport, the new Arena will provide a best-in-class amenity, which is crucial as we all continue to strive for excellence.”
The Arena will be fully accessible and inclusive and has the backing of a number of sporting bodies, including Volleyball Ireland, Badminton Ireland and Irish Squash, who all wish to use it.