Construction of the Knights new $20 million centre of excellence at Broadmeadow is yet to kick off and is more than a year behind schedule but the project is in no danger of being scrapped.
Knights owner Wests Group is building the centre in a joint-venture with the NSW government with the building tender process expected to be finalised within the next month.
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But Wests Group and Knights CEO Phil Gardner has told the Newcastle Herald he does not expect the centre, which the Knights will use as their new headquarters and training base, to be operational before the end of next year.
"Obviously, the coronavirus has had a huge impact and we have to be commercial realistic in what is a really difficult time for everyone," Gardner said.
"But at this stage, we are on track to have it finished at the back end of 2021 which would mean it would be right for the 2022 pre-season. Under the circumstances, that would be a great result for us.
"I'd expect the tender process to be completed within the next four weeks but because it's a joint venture between us and the State government, we have to get a whole range of other stakeholders such as the Department of Sport and NSW Venues across the process."
The NSW Government first announced funding approval for the centre back in May, 2018 with the Minster for Sport at the time, Stuart Ayres turning the first sod of earth in a much publicised launch in February, 2019.
It wasn't until December that the project passed through Newcastle Council and at that stage, it was hoped the centre would be completed later this year.
When completed, the centre will include a ground-floor gym, dining and trophy halls, lap pool, sauna, theatrette, players' lounge, rehabilitation room and sports science space as well as three full-size training fields, 40-metre running track, outdoor gym and two smaller fields.
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