AIS Arena
AIS Arena is an 4,200-seat multi-purpose indoor arena located in Canberra. The venue was opened by the Prime Minister, the Hon Malcolm Fraser, on 26 January 1981 and was originally called the National Indoor Sports Centre. The venue was the inaugural home of the Australian Institute of Sport.
The building was designed by Phillip Cox & Partners. Architectural features include a 1200 tonne suspended concrete panel roof supported by 12 steel masts and 36 mainstay cables. The roof has a span of 100.4 metres. The arena is partly set into the ground to reduce its scale and to establish a visual connection between the landscape and the mast and cable structure of the roof.
AIS Arena closed in 2020 due to safety concerns and while it briefly reopened in September 2021 to support the ACT’s COVID-19 vaccine rollout, it remained off-limits to sport. A $15 million upgrade of the venue was completed in mid-2024, when it re-opened with new seating, lighting, scoreboards and video screens, air-conditioning, improved accessibility, upgraded change rooms and a new floor.
AIS Arena has been used for major indoor sports such as basketball and netball. It was home to the Canberra Cannons who played in the NBL until 2003, while WNBL side Canberra Capitals has also called the venue home. It has since hosted occasional NBL and Super Netball games also.
AIS Arena Details
Netball
