Edgar Centre manager Russell Lundy was almost as relieved as Basketball Otago when he heard the news the Otago Nuggets had been accepted back into the National Basketball League.
The Nuggets helped keep the venue's cash registers ringing and, when the franchise folded in December 2008, a large income stream was lost.
"The event income for those Nuggets' games is significant for us so we're looking forward to having them back next year," Lundy said.
"We were able to plug a lot of the gaps last year with some new events, which we will maintain for this year. Depending on how the [NBL] draw works we should be able to double those up, so it will work well.
"But it is important for the sport and the venue that we maintain a national league presence."
Netball side the Otago Rebels, which was based at the Edgar Centre, folded in 2007 when it merged with the Sting to form the Steel.
The combined Otago-Southland team is based in Invercargill and plays just two matches in Dunedin, compared with the three or four home games the Rebels used to play.
However, the Steel attracts bigger crowds which has helped reduced the financial impact.
The Edgar Centre's $10.8 million extension, the Lion Foundation Arena, has been well used since opening in February 2005, hosting two basketball internationals, a netball international and a Davis Cup tie.
