New Zealand Government helps fund Upper Hutt's new high-performance sports hub

The New Zealand Government is providing up to $30 million to help fund the NZ Campus of Innovation and Sport in Upper Hutt.

The hub is part of a wider project which is repurposing the old Central Institute of Technology into a combination of an incubator for high tech industries, the high performance sports hub, and a training facility for central government (including a full corrections training facility and NZDF capability).

NZ Minister for Sport and Recreation, Grant Robertson advises “the sports hub is designed to be a world-leading shared service for a range of sports, offering the level of facilities no individual sporting code could manage by itself.

“Anchor tenants already signed up to use the hub include Wellington Rugby, The Phoenix and Baseball NZ.

“In addition, ongoing discussions are occurring with NZ Rugby, The Hurricanes, NZ Football (men, women and age group), Basketball NZ and Netball NZ.”

Minister Robertson notes “the project will provide services not only to elite sports, but it is also intended that it will provide services for academies and grass roots,” Grant Robertson said.

NZ Education Minister Chris Hipkins adds “it’s great to see the old Central Institute of Technology buildings being repurposed into a new facility.”

The funding comes from the $3 billion set aside for shovel-ready projects in the COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund announced in Budget 2020.

All approvals are in principle and subject to contract negotiations. Investment values are also subject to change.