More On The 36ers Saga

Scott Ninnis has plenty of time on his hands right now. He must love reminiscing about his playing days with his daughter!

Thanks to the Adelaide Advertiser, the 36ers franchise is still in the hunt to live on.

POTENTIAL consortium of business people keen to save the Adelaide 36ers and who might shift the club to the Entertainment Centre met last night at a secret location in the city.

The group of "interested persons" includes at least three prominent local identities with the desire and ability to rescue the 36ers. Last night's meeting was held to discuss a joint bid to keep a national league franchise in Adelaide.

A spokesperson for the group who did not want to be identified yesterday confirmed a meeting had been set up for last night and that the group did not want any involvement with current 36ers owner Mal Hemmerling.

"Mal has had his chance and we would want to go it alone," the spokeperson said.

Hemmerling on Thursday in The Advertiser said his bid for a licence in Basketball Australia's new elite men's competition did not meet all of the criteria, specifically the $1m bank guarantee.

Hemmerling said unless BA relented from its hard-line stance on the criteria, he could not field a team and the club would fold.

"We believe the (state) government might be prepared to come to the party considering it is only a bank guarantee," the spokesperson said.

"There's a state election next year and no-one really wants a national league without an Adelaide presence in it."

The spokesperson said the preferred option would be to keep the 36ers playing at the Distinctive Homes Dome, owned by Hemmerling's partner, embattled former childcare magnate Eddy Groves.

But there is a growing feeling a shift to the entertainment centre might garner government support for the club, giving it a permanent tenant for the 10,000 capacity venue.

"It would be a shame to have a venue such as the Dome - the best stadium in Australia and a purpose-built facility - lying idle," the spokesperson said.

"Playing at the Dome would be ideal but we won't know whether that's possible until we consult with Jeff Van Groningen."

Van Groningen was Groves' chief executive officer with the Brisbane Bullets' NBL franchise before Groves' ABC Learning Centres business was beset with financial difficulties.

Last week Hemmerling called Van Groningen in from Brisbane "for advice and to check out his options" on where to go with the 36ers' situation.

Hemmerling is now on holidays for five weeks and Van Groningen back in Brisbane but he will return to Adelaide later this week, keen to talk with any parties interested in taking over the 36ers' licence.

He also gave an assurance that while Groves is keen to sell the Dome, he would prefer to sell it to basketball interests and would not sell at just any price.

"He is keen to keep the 36ers in the Dome as the main tenants," Van Groningen said.