FIBA Oceania calls Gold Coast home

The Federation of International Basketball (FIBA) Oceania Office will relocate from Canberra to the Gold Coast.

Mayor Tom Tate made the announcement  alongside FIBA President Horacio Muratore, who is visiting the Gold Coast to open the Regional Office and meet with GOLDOC and Basketball Australia representatives.

"This is the first sporting organisation the city has attracted through our new Sport Attraction Program, and the first centred around the new indoor sporting facilities being constructed for the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth GamesT(GC2018)," he said. 

"This is a tremendous boost for the city and another positive step towards improving the Gold Coast's reputation as a sporting hub and growing our sporting economy. "We extend a very warm welcome the FIBA Oceania staff, who will be based in an office suite in the Southport Central building. To have FIBA as anchor tenants here is another feather in our CBD cap."

Commonwealth Games Minister Kate Jones said the announcement showed the legacy benefits from GC2018 were already being realised. 

"The investment in sporting and community infrastructure associated with the Games is helping position the Gold Coast as world class host of major events and a great place to do business and invest," Minister Jones said. "With basketball set to be a popular sport during the Games, FIBA's relocation to the Gold Coast can only help build the excitement towards 2018," she said. 

Muratore said FIBA was pleased to secure a long term future on the Gold Coast with the City's support. "The sports future on the Gold Coast is very bright indeed with the hosting of the Commonwealth Games and the major infrastructure redevelopment taking place," he said.

"I have been pleased to meet with the GC2018 Organising Committee Chief Executive Mark Peters and hear first-hand the plans not only for basketball, but the legacy for the community with ongoing access to quality venues." "It was a pleasure to meet with the leadership of basketball in Queensland.

The Oceania President, the Australian CEO, the Queensland President and CEO and the local Gold Coast President's and General Manager's all sat down and discussed the strengths and opportunities that exist for basketball. It was encouraging to hear the passion that these people have for our game and I leave the Gold Coast today believing the future is very positive."

"FIBA is also very honoured to have received a traditional welcome ceremony by the local indigenous community." FIBA Regional Director David Crocker, who will lead the team based in Southport, said a base on the Gold Coast had a strong business case.

"We have 21 countries we will service from the Gold Coast - destinations we can reach directly from Gold Coast Airport including Asia - giving us far greater access to the basketball family across the Pacific. The cost of doing business here, along with the decision to purchase the office suite, gives us a lower cost base allowing greater reach with our resources," said Crocker.

"We already feel welcome and we will be demonstrating the benefits of the City's investment as we establish an enduring base here.

"In September, we will host a Pacific Women's Leadership Program with 12 fellows coming from our Federations for a 10-day workshop; and we are partnering with the local Gold Coast Basketball Associations for a 3x3 event that will bring in 16 teams from the Pacific plus a number of local teams. In March 2016, we will host a three-day congress with 40-plus participants. 

"We are also bringing 10 new fulltime residents to the Gold Coast as our families settle here. We are genuinely committed to Gold Coast for the long term," he said. FIBA Oceania received support through City of Gold Coast's Investment Attraction Program to facilitate the move.