Bristol Flyers basketball club have revealed comprehensive plans for a new home as part of a £100m development to extend the footprint of Ashton Gate Stadium.
The centrepiece of the proposed development is the Ashton Gate Sports & Convention Centre - a 4000-capacity venue which will provide a permanent home for the Flyers. The proposal also includes additional housing, offices and a multi-storey car park along with two hotels.
BASKETBALL IS COMING TO BS3! 🏠
Introducing the Ashton Gate Sports & Convention Centre. pic.twitter.com/PpWa8B58ej— Bristol Flyers (@BristolFlyers) September 18, 2018
Flyers head coach Andreas Kapoulas said: "This is a tremendous moment for Flyers basketball and one which will secure our long-term future.
"We’re entering our fifth season in the British Basketball League and we have built our reputation both on and off the court.
"Last season’s sell-out crowds at SGS College have shown us that there is a real appetite for basketball in Bristol and it is wonderful that we can now look forward to playing in a brand new venue in the next few years, which will support our long-term ambitions for domestic and European success."
The announcement sees the start of an extensive consultation process.
Chairman of Ashton Gate, Martin Griffiths added: "We are pleased to be able to reveal these plans. It has been more than two years in the planning to ensure that Phase II of Ashton Gate’s redevelopment into a city quarter focused on sport and entertainment was indeed viable, sustainable and most importantly achievable.
"Following the successful £45m transformation of Ashton Gate Stadium, on-time and on-budget, it was always the aspiration to develop it further to give our basketball team, the Flyers, a permanent and secure playing home, right here in BS3.
"The Flyers sold out every home game of the 17/18 season, and this new facility will provide their pathway to sustainability. The new Sports and Convention Centre will also provide much needed space for the growth of a broad range of community based sports, run by our group of charities based at Ashton Gate."
For any press enquiries or for more information please contact Bristol Flyers' Head of Media & Communications Joel Osborne on 07817 538 757 or [email protected]
