Western Australian Cricket Association's (WACA) Perth ground will be transformed into a sustainable community and sporting hub with cricket at its heart after the state government provided AUD 30 million funding. The ground will be reshaped as a 10,000-capacity boutique venue, which will complement Optus Stadium and its design will pay homage to the traditional owners of the land on which it sits. The project includes high performance, training and administration facilities, a 10-lane indoor cricket facility, reinvigorated museum and year-round access for the WA community.
"In addition to this investment, the Federal Government has committed AUD 30 million towards the Project, Cricket Australia will provide AUD four million and the WACA will raise another AUD 10 million through the WA Cricket Foundation," WACA said in a statement.
"With a historic, reimagined WACA Ground sitting just across the river from the ultra-modern Optus Stadium, there will be no better setup in the world for cricket. The Ground is a famous sporting icon that needs to be preserved and this commitment will help ensure its future and make it accessible for everyone in the community," Minister for Sport and Recreation, Mick Murray MLA said.
WACA Chairman Tuck Waldron said it will transform WACA into a high-quality venue for cricket and other sports.
"It''s a great day for cricket in WA, and this funding will go a long way in helping us bring our vision for the iconic venue to life through the WACA Ground Improvement Project," Waldron said.
"We are now one step closer to transforming the much-loved WACA Ground into a high-quality venue not only for cricket and other sports, but entertainment and community events too, which will help energise the East Perth area," he added.