Lauren Jackson Sports Centre Upgrade

About this project

The Lauren Jackson Sports Centre is recognised as Southern NSW’s major indoor multi-sport facility, attracting more than 160,000 users each year, being a significant venue for community sport and major events.

With continued growth of Albury as the hub of the region and to ensure the centre meets the needs of both community and high-level sports events, a major upgrade is required as guided by the 2018 Master Plan for the venue.

Built in 1984, the five-court, multi-sport facility is the largest in the region, hosting community and social sport along with local, state and national sporting events, and is home to the Border Bandits who play in the national NBL1 basketball competition.

Extensive community engagement has guided the development of current plans for the upgrade of the centre with a Master Plan for the facility endorsed by Albury City Council in 2018.

Implemented over two stages, the aims of the Master Plan are to:

• Meet the needs of the regional community.
• Generate increased physical activity within the regional community.
• Meet the needs of regional, state and national sports events.
• Comply with safety guidelines of sporting bodies.

Stage 1 

Will deliver increased active participation opportunities with a gender-equal design including family friendly features, enhanced spectator capacity and multipurpose community meeting spaces. Capacity to host large scale tournaments and events will be enhanced, bringing significant economic benefit to the region.

Deliverables

• Upgraded and compliant courts
• x2 Changerooms
• x2 Family rooms
• First aid room
• Increased seating capacity from 1000 to 1400
• A new meeting room and corporate space
• Tournament hosting space

Key milestones that have been achieved for this project include:

• Finalisation of detailed architectural designs
• All construction documentation
• Development consent issued

This is an identified priority project for council and external matching funding will be sought in order to facilitate the Stage 1 construction in the short to medium term.

Stage 2

Stage 2 proposes to expand the facility to the east and include, but not be limited to:

• Addition of at least x3 more multipurpose courts to cater to the demand of a growing population.
• A major show-court, seating up to 3,000 spectators.
• A new entry, foyer, café, and corporate facilities.
• Further entertainment, conference and exhibition opportunities will complement developments in the city.

Further investigation and a preliminary feasibility study have commenced.

Consultation for Stage 2 continues with stakeholders including our community, Basketball Australia, Basketball NSW and PCYC to ensure the development of one of regional Australia’s prominent destination for indoor sporting content.

• Location: East Albury
• Project Cost: Stage 1 - $12.6M (AlburyCity contribution $7.6M)
• Project Status: Stage 1 - Shovel Ready