Prime Minister Julia Gillard today said the new Tamworth Sports Dome will offer unparalleled sporting opportunities for people in the New England region.
The Prime Minister joined the Member for New England, Tony Windsor for the official opening of the Tamworth Sports Dome in northern New South Wales today.
The Gillard Labor Government provided $5 million through its $1.1 billion Regional and Local Infrastructure Program to help build the indoor sports centre.
The Tamworth Regional Council also contributed an impressive amount, bringing the total funding to more than $10 million.
The new centre will cater for basketball, netball, indoor hockey, indoor soccer, volleyball, badminton and other indoor sports and activities.
The Prime Minister said the investment will bring significant economic benefits to the region, with all of the sporting activities expected to attract more than 3,000 people per week.
An economic analysis conducted by Sportex Pty Ltd estimates a potential market of over $13 million for the centre per year from major sporting events.
The completed work includes construction of a main sports hall with four multi-purpose sport courts, access and facilities for people with a disability, change rooms, a function area that caters for up to 250 people, a cafe, retail space, administration areas and car parks.
The Gillard Government's $1.1 billion Regional and Local Community Infrastructure Program is helping communities build significant local projects such as the Sports Dome across Australia and is supporting thousands of jobs along the way.
The Government is providing record funding to support people in regional Australia - committing $4.3 billion to invest in regional hospitals, health care, universities and roads.
These investments, along with the National Broadband Network, will help improve living standards outside the big cities and help regional communities reach their potential.
This Tamworth Sports Dome project created 12 full-time jobs during the construction phase.
Many new jobs have also been created with Tamworth Regional Council employing two full-time staff, signing two full-time contracts for cleaners and caterers and bringing on around six casual workers.
This project will have many benefits for the region. Tamworth is home to more than 50,000 people and nearby population centres include Manilla, Barraba, Nundle and Kootingal and another 17 hamlets and villages.