One of the main questions on many fans’ minds when the Australian Open rolls around is who John Cain is, with the second-biggest Melbourne Park arena named after him.
Melbourne Park has been the venue of the Australian Open since 1988 and will continue to stage the first Grand Slam of the year until at least 2046. Hosting the Australian Open is one of the big pulls for visitors to the state of Victoria as tennis fans fly to see in the new season.
Tennis Australia and Melbourne Park have also moved to recognize many Australian legends over the years by renaming arenas after Rod Laver and Margaret Court. The Rod Laver Arena is the largest of the showpiece stages for the Australian Open with a capacity of 15,000 fans.
The Margaret Court Arena can only host half of the spectators that the Rod Laver Arena can with its capacity capped at 7,500 fans. Meanwhile, the John Cain Arena can welcome 10,500 spectators at its capacity. The three showpiece arenas also all have roofs that can be closed.
But why is the John Cain Arena at Melbourne Park named as such for the Australian Open as Cain was not a tennis player like Laver and Court? With that in mind, The Tennis Gazette has taken a look into everything that you need to know about former premier of Victoria, Cain…
Who is John Cain, the 41st premier of the state of Victoria?
John Cain was the state of Victoria’s longest-serving Labor premier after holding the position from 1982 to 1990. He also served as a Labor MP for 16 years. But it was under Cain that the Australian Open moved from suburban Kooyong to make Melbourne Park its home in 1988.
Cain fulfilled a political dynasty as his father, John (Jack) Cain, served as premier three times between 1943 to 1955. His election ended a 27-year stint of Liberal governments in Victoria, which stretched back to Cain’s father and resulted in Victoria’s economy reaching new highs.
Victoria’s economy even turned into the strongest in Australia during Cain’s time as premier, with his time in office the result of modernizing the Victorian Labor party. He also served on the Library Board of Victoria for seven years and was even its president from 2006 to 2012.
Then-federal opposition leader Anthony Albanese praised Cain’s legacy following his death in December 2019, noting: “He lowered unemployment [and] he introduced social reform, such as land rights, which had waited far too long to be introduced in Victoria.”
Another of Cain’s triumphs in office was his instrumental role in the passing of the Freedom of Information Act 1982. He saw that Victoria was the first Australian state to pass any form of freedom of information legislation as Cain firmly supported openness from government.
Cain, who was the state of Victoria’s 41st premier and served two terms in office, passed 12 days after he suffered a severe stroke on December 10, 2019. The statesmanlike figure spent his final days receiving treatment at the Royal Melbourne Hospital before passing overnight.
Where was John Cain born? What is his nationality?
John Cain was born in the Melbourne, Australia suburb of Northcote, Victoria at the height of the Great Depression on April 26, 1931. Cain died at the age of 88 on December 22, 2019.
Why does Join Cain have an Australian Open arena named after him?
The 48th premier of Victoria, Daniel Andrews, announced in February 2020 that Melbourne Arena at Melbourne Park was to be renamed as the John Cain Arena as a tribute to the man who helped to not only create the complex but to bring the Australian Open from Kooyong.
Tennis Australia endorsed renaming the arena after Cain and relinquished its naming rights. Andrews even announced Melbourne Arena would become the John Cain Arena on the day that a State Memorial Service was held at St Paul’s Cathedral to honor Cain’s life and legacy.
The John Cain Arena cost $40m to build in 1999
Construction works for Melbourne Arena, now named the John Cain Arena, started in 1999 and were completed in 2000 and cost AUSD $65m (USD £40m). It holds a seated capacity of 10,500 fans but the limit can go to over 11,000 for music events with it a versatile venue.
As well as staging games for the Australian Open each season, the John Cain Arena can also stage basketball matches with 2,760 square meters of floor space. It has a total area size of 13,100 square meters, as well as an ICU internationally accredited 250-meter cycling track.
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