The ACT government is set to unveil a multi-million-dollar funding boost for some Canberra sporting venues this week, but the AIS Arena remains stranded in uncertainty.
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Canberra Stadium and Manuka Oval are set to receive new video screens in the coming years as part of $8.5 million allocated to sporting and events venues in the ACT budget.
Capital Football's new performance centre will get a $300,000 boost, with a two-year feasibility and design study to begin. The government will also start consultation and planning on the expansion of Exhibition Park.
But the city's premier indoor sports and events venue, AIS Arena, is unlikely to get a cash injection, continuing its 18-month shutdown.
The Canberra Capitals are still waiting to find out when they will be able to return to the arena and Australia's premier netball competition - Super Netball - is unable to play in Canberra because the city does not have a suitable venue.
The federal government-owned arena was closed last year because of fire safety concerns and was only reopened in recent months as a COVID-19 vaccination hub.
Sport Australia - the arena operator - does not have a plan to reopen the venue and the ACT government is reluctant to put money into an asset it does not own.
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The refusal by both governments to fund safety upgrades, thought to come in at up to $5 million, has left the Capitals in limbo since they last played at the venue in the WNBL grand final back in March 2020.
ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr said the budget's $5 billion infrastructure spend would become the backbone of the territory's economic recovery.
"The government will be going full throttle to support the strongest possible economic recovery," he said.
"We will be pumping hundreds of millions of dollars into the ACT economy over the coming years to support create and protect thousands of good, secure local jobs in the public sector, the private sector and the community sector
"Our infrastructure investment program provides an important pipeline of activity to support the economy and create jobs.
"Interest rates are the lowest since Federation, providing a once-in-a-century opportunity for the government to build sustainable, productivity-improving and growth-enabling infrastructure to prepare our city for the future."
The arena's closure leaves the ACT without a venue to accommodate large crowds at indoor elite sport and concerts.
The lack of funding in the budget is raising further questions about when, and if, it will reopen for the Capitals any time soon.
However, not allocating any funding to the arena came as no surprise, as Barr has repeatedly said the ACT would not buy the 40-year-old facility. He instead has asked the federal government to complete a small upgrade to give the territory time to build a new facility of its own.
The Capitals will continue to play out of the National Convention Centre, which can seat 1700 people compared to the 4400 the AIS Arena holds.
The side waits in limbo about the arena regarding the WNBL 2021-22 season, as a plan is yet to be finalised. It's hoped borders reopen in time to avoid having to play at a single-location hub this season.
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