AIS Arena

AIS Arena
The Palace
Former names	Indoor Sports Stadium (planning/construction); National Indoor Sports Centre (1981–95)
Address	26 Leverrier Street; Bruce, Australian Capital Territory
Coordinates	35°14′52″S 149°6′4″E / 35.24778°S 149.10111°E
Owner	Australian Institute of Sport
Capacity	4,200 Concerts Reserved: 3,502; General admission: 4,264; Theater: 2,718;
Construction
Broke ground	1979
Opened	26 January 1981
Renovated	2016 & 2024
Construction cost	$6.3 million; ($33.5 million in 2022 dollars)
Architect	Philip Cox & Partners
Structural engineer	Bond James Laron & Murtagh
Services engineer	SRG Limited
General contractor	John Holland Group
Tenants
	Canberra Cannons (NBL) (1981–2003); Australian Institute of Sport (WNBL) (1981–2012); UC Capitals (WNBL) (1984–2020; 2024–present); AIS Canberra Darters (CBT) (2003–2007)

AIS Arena is a multi-purpose arena in Canberra, Australia, located on the grounds of the Australian Institute of Sport. It was built in 1981 and was originally named the National Indoor Sports Centre.

History

The arena was designed by Philip Cox & Partners and the main contractor was John Holland Group. Architectural features include a 1200 tonne suspended concrete panel roof supported by 12 steel masts and 36 mainstay cables. The roof has a span of 100.4 metres. The stadium is partly set into the ground to reduce its scale and to establish a visual connection between the landscape and the mast and cable structure of the roof.^[3]

The arena has been home to the Canberra Cannons of the National Basketball League (NBL) and the Australian Institute of Sport WNBL team of the Women's National Basketball League (WNBL). While the Cannons were playing at the arena it was known as "The Palace". The arena has hosted Australian Boomers and Australian Opals international basketball games, as well as the Australian Netball Diamonds. The arena has also hosted the Canberra Roller Derby League and many concerts.

In 2014, the AIS invested in a $200,000 removable floor to help it tap into new markets to increase revenue by attracting more sports, concerts, ice skating and even indoor equestrian events at AIS Arena.^[4]

In 2015 and 2016, the venue received a $9.4 million upgrade, with the refurbishment involving better seating and windows. It forced the Canberra Capitals to find an alternative home venue for the end of the 2015–16 WNBL season.^[4]

The arena was shut down in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and its poor fire safety. It was later used as a mass vaccination clinic.^[5] The arena received $15 million worth of repair work and re-opened in 2024.^[6]^[7]

For the 2024–25 WNBL season, the Capitals returned to the AIS Arena for the first time since the 2019–20 season.^[8]

References

^ AU = 1850-1901: McLean, I.W. (1999), Consumer Prices and Expenditure Patterns in Australia 1850–1914. Australian Economic History Review, 39: 1-28 (taken W6 series from Table A1, which represents the average inflation in all of Australian colonies). For later years, calculated using the pre-decimal inflation calculator provided by the Reserve Bank of Australia for each year, input: £94 8s (94.40 Australian pounds in decimal values), start year: 1901.
^ "AIS Arena". Archived from the original on 10 December 2010. Retrieved 22 December 2010.
^ "Bruce Stadium & National Indoor Stadium Precinct / National Athletics Stadium & National Indoor Sports & Training Centre" (PDF). Australian Institute of Architects ACT Chapter: Register of Significant Architecture. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 April 2020. Retrieved 4 January 2020.
^ ^a ^b Dutton, Chris (5 April 2015). "AIS Arena gets $10 million facelift to revive The Palace". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 27 October 2024.
^ Mannheim, Markus (12 April 2022). "Canberra's AIS Arena to reopen in 2023 after Commonwealth commits to funding upgrade". ABC News. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
^ Nowroozi, Isaac (10 February 2024). "Federal government commits to keeping the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra following independent review". ABC News. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
^ "AIS Arena reopening date locked in. See the first photos from inside the $15m upgrade". The Canberra Times. 2 July 2024. Retrieved 27 October 2024.
^ "UC Capitals Return to Spiritual Home at the AIS Arena - UC Capitals". UC Capitals. 2 September 2024. Retrieved 27 October 2024.

External links

AIS Arena at Austadiums
Archived information about the arena

[inflation-AU-1] AU = 1850-1901: McLean, I.W. (1999), Consumer Prices and Expenditure Patterns in Australia 1850–1914. Australian Economic History Review, 39: 1-28 (taken W6 series from Table A1, which represents the average inflation in all of Australian colonies). For later years, calculated using the pre-decimal inflation calculator provided by the Reserve Bank of Australia for each year, input: £94 8s (94.40 Australian pounds in decimal values), start year: 1901.

[2] "AIS Arena". Archived from the original on 10 December 2010. Retrieved 22 December 2010.

[3] "Bruce Stadium & National Indoor Stadium Precinct / National Athletics Stadium & National Indoor Sports & Training Centre" (PDF). Australian Institute of Architects ACT Chapter: Register of Significant Architecture. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 April 2020. Retrieved 4 January 2020.

[facelift-4] Dutton, Chris (5 April 2015). "AIS Arena gets $10 million facelift to revive The Palace". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 27 October 2024.

[5] Mannheim, Markus (12 April 2022). "Canberra's AIS Arena to reopen in 2023 after Commonwealth commits to funding upgrade". ABC News. Retrieved 11 February 2024.

[6] Nowroozi, Isaac (10 February 2024). "Federal government commits to keeping the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra following independent review". ABC News. Retrieved 11 February 2024.

[7] "AIS Arena reopening date locked in. See the first photos from inside the $15m upgrade". The Canberra Times. 2 July 2024. Retrieved 27 October 2024.

[8] "UC Capitals Return to Spiritual Home at the AIS Arena - UC Capitals". UC Capitals. 2 September 2024. Retrieved 27 October 2024.

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