Melbourne Sports and Entertainment Centre facts for kids
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| Former names | Swimming and Diving Stadium (1956) Olympic Swimming Stadium (1957–1983) Melbourne Sports and Entertainment Centre (1983–1998) Lexus Centre (2004–2010) Westpac Centre (2010–2015) Holden Centre (2015–2022) |
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| Location | Olympic Blvd and Batman Ave Olympic Park Melbourne, VIC 3000 Australia |
| Owner | Melbourne & Olympic Parks Trust |
| Capacity | 7,200 (1983–1998) 5,500 (Original) |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | October 1954 |
| Opened | 22 November 1956 |
| Renovated | 1983, 2003, 2013 |
| Construction cost | £350,000 $10.5 million (1983 renovation) $20 million (2003 renovation) |
| Architect | Kevin Borland, Peter McIntyre and John and Phyllis Murphy |
| Structural engineer | Bill Irwin |
| General contractor | McDougall & Ireland |
| Tenants | |
| 1956 Olympic Games North Melbourne Giants (NBL) (1984-98) Melbourne Tigers (NBL) (1984-91) Eastside Spectres (NBL) (1987-91) Southern Melbourne Saints (NBL) (1987-91) Collingwood Football Club (Administration & Training facility) (2004-present) Victorian Institute of Sport (Administration & Training facility) (2003-present) |
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The AIA Vitality Centre is a cool sports building in Melbourne, Australia. It's a place where sports teams train and manage their activities. You might know it by its current name, but it has had many names over the years!
This building first opened in 1956. Back then, it was called the Swimming and Diving Stadium. It was built especially for the 1956 Summer Olympics to host swimming and diving events. Later, it became a popular spot for basketball games.
Today, the AIA Vitality Centre is the main home for the Collingwood Football Club. This famous Australian Rules Football team uses it for training and their offices. It's a busy place where athletes work hard to be their best!
Contents
History of the AIA Vitality Centre
Olympic Beginnings: 1956 Games
The building started its life as the Swimming and Diving Stadium. It was a very important venue for the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne. Athletes competed here in diving, swimming, and water polo.
It was special because it was the first fully indoor swimming venue ever used for an Olympic Games! The building's original look is still mostly the same today. It's even listed on the Victorian Heritage Register because it's so important.
The design for this stadium was chosen through a big competition in 1952. Architects Kevin Borland, Peter McIntyre, John and Phyllis Murphy, and engineer Bill Irwin created the winning design. Construction started in October 1954 and finished just in time for the Olympics in 1956.
Outside the building, you can see a unique sculpture called Totem Pole. It was made by the artist Arthur Boyd.
Basketball Era: The Glass House Years
After the Olympics, the stadium changed a lot. In the 1980s, it was redeveloped and became the Melbourne Sports and Entertainment Centre. People often called it "The Glass House."
It became a major home for NBL teams. Teams like the North Melbourne Giants and Melbourne Tigers played many of their home games here. It also hosted international basketball matches.
The Glass House was a big venue for basketball, holding up to 7,200 fans. The North Melbourne Giants even won two NBL Championships here, in 1989 and 1994! The NBL All-Star Game was also held at The Glass House several times. The last NBL game played here was in June 1998.
Collingwood Football Club's Home
In 2004, the Collingwood Football Club moved its main offices and training facilities to this centre. Before that, they were at Victoria Park. This move made the centre a hub for Australian Rules Football.
Collingwood also used the nearby Olympic Park Stadium for outdoor training until 2012. When that stadium was taken down, Collingwood moved its outdoor training to the new Olympic Park Oval. This oval is right next to the centre, making it super convenient for the team.
Sponsorship and New Names
Over the years, the centre has had different names because companies have paid to have their name on it. This is called naming rights.
- Lexus Centre (2004–2010): The luxury car company Lexus was the first to buy the naming rights. During this time, the building was no longer a public stadium. Instead, it became a training and administration facility for the Victorian Institute of Sport and the Collingwood Football Club.
- Westpac Centre (2010–2015): In March 2010, Westpac bank became the new naming rights sponsor.
- Holden Centre (2015–2022): In August 2015, Holden, a car company, took over the naming rights.
- AIA Vitality Centre (2022–Present): Since March 2022, the centre has been known as the AIA Vitality Centre. This name comes from American International Assurance Company (Australia).
Awards and Recognition
The original Swimming and Diving Stadium has received special awards for its design and engineering.
- It received an Engineering Heritage International Marker from Engineers Australia. This award recognizes important engineering achievements.
- In 2021, the Australian Institute of Architects gave its design the National Enduring Architecture Award. This shows how well-designed and important the building is, even after many years.
