CARACAS - The Venezuelan government have handed the Venezuelan Basketball Federation the Leo Marquez Gymnasium which will now be the home for the Venezuelan National Basketball Center (CNB).

The development of the center is deemed to be an essential part of the legacy from Venezuela proudly hosting the 2012 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament and the subsequent 2013 FIBA Americas Championship.

The concept of having a high quality center is that it will enable the federation to have a permanent space where they can enhance and facilitate multiple projects around the ongoing development of the game.

This will include support and development of the various national teams and implementing a school for coaches and managers, with the appropriate medical and food services which a center of this level will demand.

"We are very grateful for this gesture of the government towards our federation, as part of the achievements that our sport has given the country recently," declared Federation President, Professor Carmelo Cortez.

"We hope that this center is an ideal way to promote the development of basic categories and especially when we have shown an interest in hosting the FIBA U17 World Championship in 2016."

The center amenities will include a (FIBA level 1) main court, 'Gared Pro' scoreboards, a gym, sauna, 12 bedrooms, a classroom, a nursery, laundry facilities and offices for the national teams and technical staff.

The Leo Marquez Gym otherwise known as 'Poliedrito' was initially built for the 1983 Pan American Games and witnessed the birth of professional basketball in Venezuela.

It can accommodate 1000 spectators and is located in Hugo Chavez Park, a cultural-sport development axis which is located south of Caracas.

The news comes at an exciting time for Venezuela who will celebrate a landmark 80th birthday in 2015 and will compete in a record number of 11 international events next year.

FIBA