Tauranga City Council has signed-off a strategic partnership between Council Controlled Organisation Bay Venues Limited and the University of Waikato as a key tenant at the High Performance Sports Centre.

This partnership further cements the University as a key stakeholder in Tauranga, says Tauranga City Mayor Stuart Crosby.

Michaela Blyde and Selica Winiata working out at the new High Performance centre. Photo: Tracy Hardy

The partnership ensures the High Performance Sports Centre is recognised nationally and world-wide as a destination for athletes wanting to grow their careers from Tauranga.

'The HPSC is the key piece of infrastructure required to transform Tauranga City into a Centre of Excellence for high performance sport.

'Our athletes' success on the world stage is Tauranga's success as they become our local role models that will inspire Tauranga's youth to reach their high performance sporting potential,” says Stuart.

The official opening of the HPSC will be later this month, which will be named: The University of Waikato Adams Centre for High Performance. The opening couldn't be more-timely with a little over four months before the start of the Rio Olympics.

This decision follows on from TCC giving BVL the green light to enter into a partnership with the University in March 2016.

The partnership between BVL and UoW includes naming rights of the HPSC and representation on the Advisory Board. In return the University will provide sport science research and academic opportunities in Tauranga, including support to other tenants at HPSC.