John Cain Arena, Indoor arena in Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia
John Cain Arena is a covered venue within the Melbourne Park precinct with seating for over ten thousand spectators and a moveable roof. The facility rises across several tiers and offers different seating sections all facing the central playing surface.
The building opened in July 2000 as part of the expansion of the Melbourne Park precinct and initially carried the name of an electronics manufacturer. The renaming came later in honor of the former Victorian Premier who championed public sports facilities.
The building carries the name of a former Victorian Premier and serves as home ground for the Melbourne Vixens netball team and the Melbourne United basketball club. On match days the stands fill with supporters who cheer their teams loudly.
The retractable roof lets tennis be played during rain, one of few venues with that option. For velodrome events the north and south seat banks are raised over the track turns and floor seating is removed, cutting capacity to 4,500. Ground passes give access during the Australian Open, and the court is GreenSet, Plexicushion between 2008 and 2019.
A bronze sculpture of netball player Sharelle McMahon stands outside the main entrance and is the first monument to a female athlete in the entire Melbourne Park complex. The roof can be fully opened or closed in around twenty minutes.
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