WIN Entertainment Centre
| The WEC / The Sandpit | |
 | |
| Location | Corner of Crown & Harbour Streets, Wollongong, NSW 2520 |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 34°25′36″S 150°54′10″E / 34.42667°S 150.90278°ECoordinates: 34°25′36″S 150°54′10″E / 34.42667°S 150.90278°E |
| Owner | Wollongong Sportsground Trust, Pty Ltd. |
| Capacity |
Basketball: 6,000[1] Concerts: 5,000 Reduced mode: 1,000-3,000 |
| Surface | Customisable |
| Opened | 5 September 1998 |
| Tenants | |
| Illawarra Hawks (NBL) (1998-present) | |
WIN Entertainment Centre (formally Wollongong Entertainment Centre and commonly WEC) is a multi-purpose indoor arena, located in downtown Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia.
The WEC opened on 5 September 1998 with a concert by Bob Dylan and Patti Smith; 4,935 people attended the event. Dylan performed at the venue again in 2011 performing to a crowd of 3,214 people.
The arena is 3 minutes walk from the city centre and has hosted a variety of events including Federation Cup tennis, world championship boxing and international musical acts.
Every year the WIN Entertainment Centre holds the Wakakirri Story Dance Wollongong heat and also a variety of concerts and expos.
The building was designed by the NSW Government Architect.
Sporting events
The venue is the home of the Illawarra Hawks who play in the Australasian-based National Basketball League (NBL). During Hawks games it is referred to as "The Sandpit" in reference to being next to the beach. It is also a play on name of the Hawks former home, the Beaton Park Stadium, which was commonly known as "The Snakepit". The Hawks, known from 1979-1998 as the Illawarra Hawks, are the only original club left in the NBL.
The record attendance for an event at the WIN Centre is 5,839, set on 18 February 2005, when the Hawks played their regular season finale against the Sydney Kings.
Naming rights
The naming rights to both facilities are owned by WIN Corporation, a Wollongong-based media company which owns the television network, WIN.