MELBOURNE: Tennis Australia has secured the naming rights till 2023 for HiSense Arena, Melbourne’s top sport and entertainment venue where the first Grand Slam of the tennis calendar, Australian Open has been hosted famously over the years.
As a part of the deal, the venue will now be called Melbourne Arena.
The renaming comes as Melbourne and Olympic Parks Trust’s 10-year association with Hisense draws to a close. During this partnership, the multi-purpose venue has hosted many outstanding events besides the Australian Open.
The state government of Victoria has played a crucial role in the success of the agreement since it has major plans to revamp the entire Melbourne Park of which the arena is a part of. The idea of redevelopment is to provide better access via the new Tanderrum foot bridge, a new headquarters for Tennis Australia and Melbourne and Olympic Parks, and a major upgrade to both patron and artist facilities inside Rod Laver Arena.
Construction of the new eastern annexe to Rod Laver Arena and a faster retractable roof is also on track for the Australian Open 2019, in addition to a new multi-purpose 5,000-seat show court arena, as well as a new function and media centre as part of the AUD $271.55 million (USD $198 million) Stage 3 redevelopment.
Together, the new look and new name mean the Australian Open will remain in Melbourne until at least 2036, bolstering Melbourne’s status as Australia’s sporting capital.
Victoria’s Minister for Sport, John Eren commented on the development:
“It’s fantastic to see the sporting capital of Australia – Melbourne – up in lights for the world to see.”
“Since 2000, this fantastic venue has hosted headline acts from the Australian Open to The Killers – and we’re working with our precinct partners to continue serving up the world’s best sport and entertainment.”
Tennis Australia CEO Craig Tiley was also quoted as saying: “We know the world’s top players love coming to Melbourne and thrive on the atmosphere of this arena during the Australian Open. This is a testament to the fans who turn out every year to cheer on their heroes.”
“What a great way to pay homage to Melbourne’s sports and entertainment fans – renowned globally for their knowledge and passion.”
