Vodafone Arena to undergo renovation works in 2018 from January to October

The Fiji Sports Council has confirmed that the Vodafone Arena will undergo renovation works in 2018 from January to October. 

The council says since being built in 2003, the Laucala Bay facility will be closed during this period to allow for specific major roofing and flooring works to take place.

Fiji Sports Council Chief Executive Officer Litiana Loabuka says the scheduled works are paramount and a long time coming for the venue that has played home to continuous international sporting and major corporate events.

Loabuka says the Vodafone Arena 2018 works is aligned to their Five‑Year Strategic Plan for Capital Work Projects.

She says they are proud to be nearing the renovation completion date of the FMF Gymnasium which will host a revamped Sports Council office space as well.

Loabuka says their Master Plan for the council’s Sports Centre is well underway and there is much to look forward to for all their patrons in the coming months.

She says the Vodafone Arena has hosted many firsts, bringing pride to the Council and the nation as a whole in achieving international hosting rights since it was opened in 2003 for the South Pacific Games.

She says the January‑October 2018 scheduled works may result in the postponement or cancellation of certain annual events however it augurs well on the overall scale with a revamped facility that deserves the structural makeover.

The Vodafone Arena will be the first venue in Fiji to assist Weightlifting Fiji to host the IWF World Junior Championship in 2019 while Netball Fiji can also boast winning their bid for Fiji to host the World Youth Netball Championship in 2022.

Meanwhile Communications Fiji Limited, parent company of Legend FM, FM96, Viti FM, Navtarang and Radio Sargam, has already announced that Total Event Company will be holding Fiji Showcase in November next year instead of their usual late June early July date.

Total Event Company Manager Loretta Jackson says the Fiji Sports Council has informed them that the Vodafone Arena will be closed for major maintenance from January to October 2018.

Jackson says the size of Fiji Showcase means that it is the only venue capable of holding the event so they have to delay the event until the Vodafone Arena reopens.

Fiji Showcase will take place from Friday 16th November to Saturday 24th November next year, provided renovations are complete by then.