Cricket Tasmania is planning to build a new, state-of-the-art cricket and community facility at Seven Mile Beach on land purchased from the Royal Hobart Golf Club.
The move comes after “several years” of planning and consideration of the sport’s infrastructure requirements.
It will see Ninja Stadium, formerly Blundstone Arena, in Bellerive phased out as the home of cricket.
Cricket Tasmania CEO Dominic Baker said Bellerive Oval has played an important role in the sport since the association relocated its headquarters to the ground in the late 1980s.
“It will continue to be our home for the immediate future and to serve the needs of sport in southern Tasmania from a local, national and international perspective,” he said.
Baker said Bellerive is not able to cope with the load needed to support the next phase of the sport’s growth.
The new 15-hectare site near Hobart Airport is planned to support the development of the sport, accommodating 55 professional players, 200 pathway program participants and the wider cricketing community of over 135 clubs.
It would include three ovals, an indoor training centre, administration offices and over 60 practice wickets.
Royal Hobart Golf Club General Manager Nathan Sharrock believes the partnership with Cricket Tasmania will be mutually beneficial.
He said the proposal requires a 75% approval vote from their members in February.
“The club is delighted to be partnering with another community sporting organisation that is entrenched in the Tasmanian sporting community,” he said.
