Basketball Australia is keen to have NBA star Patty Mills play in front of a Canberra crowd, but a deal to bring the Boomers to the capital hinges on the AIS Arena's future.
Fairfax Media can reveal Basketball Australia bosses started talks last week about having Mills and the Boomers play international games in Canberra in the lead up to the world championships in 2019 and the 2020 Olympic Games.
However, a massive stumbling block to the deal could be a looming decision about whether the Australian Sports Commission will push ahead with a radical redevelopment of the AIS Arena.
The commission is still considering a major revamp of the AIS campus at Bruce, including changing the Arena from a multi-purpose venue to a volleyball-specific centre.
Basketball Australia officials are keen to work with the ACT government and Basketball ACT about hosting the Boomers, but fear the future of the the mooted 'Volleydome'.
The commission board met last week but were unable to settle on a plan for the institute and its venues as part of a vision for the future.
The AIS Arena is the biggest indoor venue in Canberra and the only suitable basketball court to host Mills and Australia's emerging group of NBA players.
Basketball Australia boss Anthony Moore hoped the Arena would remain in its current state to give the capital a chance of securing hosting rights.
The Boomers and the Australian Opals played a basketball double-header at the AIS Arena in 2013.
"I came to Canberra for a planning session for the Boomers about getting them through to the next Olympics [in Tokyo]," Moore said.
"Part of that is looking at the opportunities to roadshow the Boomers pre the world championships in 2019 in China and then an Olympic Games.
"Canberra is definitely on our radar to bring the Boomers here to play against a European team or an America's team and we've had a lot of interest from Argentina.
"It's a great facility, it's hosted international games before and we'd be thrilled if it was to continue as that venue."
The sports commission is still working with a future directions committee to decide if it will change the AIS.
The Arena's future has been uncertain for six months after it was revealed the committee was considering a proposal to transform it into a volleyball high performance centre.
The Canberra Capitals will shift home WNBL games to the National Convention Centre next season on a new $250,000 court.
But the venue has a capacity of 1700, well short of the 4500 who can fit into the AIS Arena for basketball, netball, concerts, exhibitions and functions.
If the commission pushes ahead with its 'Volleydome' plans, it would make it difficult for Canberra to secure international sporting events or NBL games.
The AIS Arena was known as the 'The Palace' when the Canberra Cannons were at the peak of their powers in the NBL.
The Cannons went bust 10 years ago, but Basketball ACT is working with the Illawarra Hawks in the hope of securing men's professional basketball fixtures for Canberra.
"I can't comment on the NBL, but we should be having an international match in the national capital. It's venue specific, so that has to take into consideration the future of the AIS Arena," Moore said.
"I don't know where they are up to with that. International basketball could only be played at the AIS Arena. We hope it stays as a multi-sport venue."
