Queensland Tennis Centre
Post-flood recovery strategy to provide Pat Rafter Arena with elite-level courts
Queensland

Flood events that happened in early 2022 caused serious damage to the Pat Rafter Arena Centre Court surface. 

Trace Project Management engaged SPORTENG to provide technical advice on the resurfacing of the court.

The main challenge of this project was to try to bind the underlying asphalt layer onto the concrete slab. 

There were certainly some complexities involved with this process, as we had to ensure we had a stable surface once completed.

Planned to be the centre of major sports events in the coming months/years through the United Cup International tournament and the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, SPORTENG worked with Trace Project Management, Queensland Tennis Centre and Queensland Stadiums on a post-flood recovery plan. The aim was to provide an elite-level court for international events on the Pat Rafter Arena centre court.

Part of the plan was for the Pat Rafter Arena to undergo a technical assessment and post-flood recovery rectification of its various courts.

Thanks to our original past knowledge from our involvement in Pat Rafter Arena construction in 2009, we've been able to provide technical advice on issues and complexities related to the design aspect of the court and understand what form of rebuilding would be needed.

SPORTENG attended the site for a final inspection of the acrylic coat and helped identify any defects for rectification before handing the court over to the client for competition-level events and training. 

The Pat Rafter Arena has been chosen to host the United Cup International tournament and has been selected as a venue for the upcoming Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games!

“We know Pat Rafter Arena is a favourite with players, and it will be terrific to see the stars of the game back in Brisbane for Queensland’s traditional summer of international tennis,” Mr Stirling Hinchliffe, MP, said.

Source: Global tennis season launching in Brisbane

"I'm very happy with the final product! It was very exciting to be involved from the start, so we saw it through every stage. 
It was awesome to see Centre Court today during our Site Visit; it looked nice and ready for any upcoming events," Miss Tayla Madden, SPORTENG Graduate Civil Engineer, said.