THE National Stadium basketball courts are currently being upgraded.

New metal seating is being put in place for spectators, and very shortly a new synthetic playing surface will complete the renovation of the venue.

The Sports Development Foundation (SDF) has undertaken the project at a cost of between $30 to $34 million.

General Manager of SDF Denzil Wilks said the refurbishing work began last year and a new surface will be laid along with more modern metal seating for spectators to replace the old board seats.

“Both courts will have more space between each other which is the required international standard used so that two matches can be played without much interference. It is also a much wider playing facility than the previous one where the courts were too near causing the game to be stopped whenever the ball goes on the other court,” Wilks said.

“The seating capacity will be increased from the 400 to around 1,000 for spectators, and they will be able to watch their respective teams or clubs easily, as seating will be at the east and west courts which should also be more comfortable and suitable for teams. Spectators will be much closer watching their teams with those added seats, rather than the previous set that was stationed at one side of the facility,” he added.

Wilks told the Jamaica Observer that after the laying of the hard court, the synthetic surface will be placed on it. “It will be a much different surface than the ones used on the Leila Robinson Courts.

“So far we have tested a synthetic (rubber-rized) surface but it was not suitable, so we are still on the search for a proper one to also be tested by the International Basketball Federation of Associations (FIBA) before it can be put on the playing surface,” the SDF managing director explained.

At the completion it will be handed over to the Independence Park Limited (IPL) which is in charge of the entire National Stadium Sports Complex.

Wilks was quick to point out that the SDF’s task was restricted to refurbishing the basketball courts and seating for spectators, and that he has no control over the lighting of the facility.

“Lights were there before, so the authority of Independence Park Limited will have to put them back in place. With the refurbishing of the courts with new facilities, the lights will also need to be upgraded with a modern electrical system.”

Meanwhile, Calvin Martin, acting interim president of the Jamaica Basketball Association (JABA), said the playing facilities belong to IPL and his association is hoping that they can be able to use them after its completion.

According to Martin, JABA would like to use the newly refurbished courts, but he was concerned that the cost could be prohibitive.

“If JABA cannot come up with the money charged by IPL for using of the facility (basketball courts), then we would have to find other suitable playing venues. We would have to pay each time we used the stadium basketball courts, and also for the lights,” Martin said.

He added that the National Basketball League (NBL) is currently in its registration phase, coupled with pre-season warm-up matches.

The NBL is slated to tip off soon, and JABA could face a challenge in finding suitable courts if it cannot find the money to rent the basketball courts.

For the 2018 NBL season there will be changes to the competition as the usual number of participating teams will be reduced to 24.