Cooma-Monaro Shire Councillors unanimously voted in favour of a $6,800 budget increase to the Cooma Basketball Stadium at their December council meeting.

The funds have been allocated to the Basketball Stadium in order to refurbish the venue to meet the requirements laid out by the Canberra Cannons basketball team, who have recently reformed, and will be playing in the South East Area Basketball League.

They have had a strong affiliation with Cooma basketball in the past, and are looking to re-establish that connection by playing at least one professional basketball match in Cooma in 2010.

Representatives from Cooma basketball have met with Cannons managing director Terry Ryan to discuss the prospect of a match being played in Cooma - both sides are very excited by the prospect.

“We want to spread the word of basketball and in particular the Cannons in the region,” Mr Ryan said.

“It’s playable here. The Cooma association is keen, and we’re keen.”

The upgrades to the Basketball Stadium will mean that the match can definitely go ahead, which will be a great promotion for basketball in the area.

The extra money that has been allocated by council will go towards the purchase of two shot clocks, an additional scoreboard and two perspex backboards, which the Cannons indicated would be required if they were to move a game to Cooma.

Cooma Basketball Association is also planning to fund a renovation and remarking of the court floor in the coming month.