THE Commonwealth Games fall-out for regional Victoria means the city's largest indoor stadium will be able to fix niggles rather than find ways to make do.
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City of Ballarat has opened a tender for a project lead consultant to orchestrate upgrades to Ballarat Sports and Events Centre (commercially known as Selkirk Stadium).
While the state government confirmed earlier in 2024 the stadium would remain in line for legacy funding from the cancelled Games, the tender confirms works and a projected timeline for works to be complete by the end of March, 2026.
Tender documents make clear a preference for works to be rolled out within "an accelerated time frame" if possible.
Basketball Ballarat chief executive Neville Ivey said the works would largely not be noticeable to the average stadium patron, but would allow for the venue to be more competitive with infrastructure in hosting major events.
"We've said what we're doing for the Commonwealth Games is great but what can we get out of this in terms of upgrades suitable for a Commonwealth Games legacy," Mr Ivey said.
"When we have netball, like Melbourne Vixens' Blitz, they look at what we've got and what we can do. We're more likely to be able to land national-type sporting events with better infrastructure.
"...For example, we'd love more in-season WNBL [Women's National Basketball League]. Higher class stadium functions can help."
Key upgrades include:
- power upgrades allowing for greater capacity on game nights and major showcase events;
- lighting and audio improvements to improve black spots and create a better sense of theatre, such as in basketball team introductions;
- improved heating and cooling for patron comfort; more appealing landscaping;
- a dedicated broadcast media platform;
- and, a path to the stadium from the Norman Street bus stop for safer access for after-school sport.
Mr Ivey said major visitors, such as the WNBL, tended to need extra lighting and audio hired in which came at additional cost and inconvenience.
The state government delivered American professional wrestling convention Starrcast to Ballarat in April. Live wrestling events, streamed to international audiences, transformed the stadium with specialised lighting grids and booming sound.
Mr Ivey confirmed proposed upgrades would incorporate council planned and budgeted works to improve the stadium roof, which was leaking on the showcourt in 2023.
Estimated funding details for the upgrades remain unclear. When Commonwealth Games projects were first announced in 2022, $150 million was set aside for Ballarat and there has been no update or budget breakdown since.
The $24 million BSEC opened in July 2019 with six extra courts, including a 3000-seat showcourt, a privately run high performance gym and multi-purpose meeting rooms.
Mr Ivey said the chance for upgrades would not typically be gifted by the state government so soon after opening.
BSEC had been pegged to host boxing, one of the most-watched events, in the 2026 Commonwealth Games.
Commonwealth Games legacy funding will also upgrade Eureka (Mars) Stadium, including increased seating capacity, and a sporting facility and oval in Miners Rest.
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