Goldfields Basketball Stadium

Goldfields Basketball Stadium

Former names	Niels Hansen Basketball Stadium
Location	Brookman Street, Kalgoorlie, Western Australia
Coordinates	30°44′31″S121°28′32″E / 30.74194°S 121.47556°E / -30.74194; 121.47556
Capacity	1,200 (old show court) [1] 1,000 (new show court) [2]
Opened	1979
Tenants
Goldfields Basketball Association (1979–present) Goldfields Giants (NBL1 West) (1990–present)

Goldfields Basketball Stadium (also known by its sponsored name, the Evolution Mining Stadium) is a multi-sports basketball stadium and events centre located in Kalgoorlie, Western Australia. It is the home of (and managed by) the Goldfields Basketball Association, and is also the home venue of the Goldfields Giants of the NBL1 West.

The stadium was originally called the Niels Hansen Basketball Stadium, and was named after local Goldfields basketball stalwart, Niels Hansen. He became the fifth life member of Kalgoorlie-Boulder Basketball Association in 1980. ^[3] He died in 2012, aged 83. ^[2]

History

The stadium was built in 1979 and was renovated in the late 1990s. ^[4] In 2018, planning for an expansion of the stadium began. ^[5] In 2022, it was confirmed that two new courts would be added to the existing three at the facility. ^{[6] [7]} In July 2024, the Goldfields Giants played their final home game on the traditional main court before switching to a brand-new show court in 2025. ^[3]

In January 2025, the official opening of the $14.8 million stadium redevelopment took place, ^{[8] [9] [10] [11]} with the facility unveiled by WA Premier Roger Cook as the Goldfields Basketball Stadium. ^[8] In February 2025, the Kalgoorlie-Boulder Basketball Association underwent a name change to Goldfields Basketball Association to better align with the Goldfields Giants brand. ^[12]

In August 2025, the stadium was officially named Evolution Mining Stadium under a naming rights partnership between the Goldfields Basketball Association and Evolution Mining. ^[13] The original three-court section of the stadium retained the Niels Hansen name. ^[12]

Notable games

On 23 February 2004, the stadium played host to the Perth Wildcats in an official National Basketball League regular season game against the Hunter Pirates. ^{[14] [15] [16]}

The stadium also hosted an official Women's National Basketball League regular season game featuring the Perth Lynx in February 2009. ^{[17] [18]}

References

1. "Niels Hansen Basketball Stadium". GoldfieldsGiants.com. Archived from the original on 16 July 2018. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
2. "Stadium redevelopment worth the wait". Kalgoorlie Miner. 29 November 2024. Archived from the original on 19 March 2025. Retrieved 19 March 2025.
3. Harvey, Neale (13 July 2024). "Last hurrah on Saturday night for Giants' traditional home court as new facilities beckon". kalminer.com.au. Archived from the original on 13 July 2024.
4. Coleman-Heard, Rory (15 July 2020). "Long-overdue upgrade for Kalgoorlie's dilapidated Niels Hansen Basketball Stadium to cost '$7m-$10m'". kalminer.com.au. Archived from the original on 29 January 2023.
5. Watkinson, Neil (22 February 2018). "Stadium expansion plan in doubt". TheWest.com.au. Kalgoorlie Miner. Retrieved 8 June 2019.
6. Guthrie, Tegan (30 June 2022). "Niels Hansen Basketball Stadium redevelopment concept will see closure of portion of Outridge Terrace". kalminer.com.au. Archived from the original on 29 January 2023.
7. Lilley, Amber (7 September 2022). "New Kalgoorlie-Boulder basketball stadium one step closer with council support for road closure". kalminer.com.au. Archived from the original on 29 January 2023.
8. "Slam dunk for Kalgoorlie basketball as new stadium opens | Western Australian Government". www.wa.gov.au. 30 January 2025. Retrieved 8 February 2025.
9. "Premier Roger Cook attending grand opening of new stadium". Kalgoorlie Miner. 29 January 2025. Retrieved 8 February 2025.
10. "$14.8 million redevelopment officially unveiled". Kalgoorlie Miner. 30 January 2025. Retrieved 8 February 2025.
11. "Roger Cook banishes old stadium to the past". Kalgoorlie Miner. 31 January 2025. Retrieved 8 February 2025.
12. "Official name change for basketball association accompanies stadium grand opening". Kalgoorlie Miner. 21 February 2025. Archived from the original on 16 September 2025. Retrieved 16 September 2025.
13. "Kalgoorlie-Boulder's state-of-the-art basketball stadium renamed Evolution Mining Stadium". Kalgoorlie Miner. 7 September 2025. Archived from the original on 16 September 2025. Retrieved 16 September 2025.
14. "Kalgoorlie to see Wildcats, Pirates clash live". ABC.net.au. 24 October 2003. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
15. "Wildcats put Pirates to the sword". ABC.net.au. 24 February 2004. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
16. "Wildcats to challenge Crocs in Kalgoorlie". ABC.net.au. 4 August 2004. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
17. "Lightning crashes again on the road". ABC News. 7 February 2009. Retrieved 23 March 2025.
18. Coleman-Heard, Rory (3 March 2021). "Kambalda product, Darcee Garbin, returns to Goldfields to run basketball clinic". kalminer.com.au. Archived from the original on 29 January 2023.