The new coach of the Perth Wildcats says sports tourism is an attractive drawcard for Port Douglas’ new cyclone shelter and basketball stadium.

Trevor Gleeson, who was in June appointed head coach of the National Basketball League 2012-2013 runners-up, visited the Port Douglas cyclone shelter last week.

Gleeson said he was very impressed with the air-conditioned $5.5 million state-of-the-art facility, which houses a sprung basketball court, changing rooms, showers and commercial kitchen.

“There are not a lot of indoor stadiums in Far North Queensland that are fully air-conditioned, and with this one in a fantastic location like Port Douglas, it has to be taken advantage of,” Gleeson said.

“I was in Townsville (as coach of the Townsville Crocodiles) when cyclone Yasi came through, so I know how devastating it was.

“To have this stadium built as a result of Yasi and to be used for sport is a fantastic asset to the community.”

Douglas Heat Basketball Club president, Nick Gibson, said he hoped there would be a day when the facility housed a Perth Wildcats versus Cairns Taipans pre-season match.

“Surely we could fit at least 100 fans in here to see a spectacle like that,” Gibson said.

Mr Gibson said the facility could also be offered for closed training sessions for NBL sides, similar to the 2012 visits of AFL clubs Collingwood and Richmond, which used Port Douglas Sports Complex for training sessions during byes.

Douglas Heat will also host the Melbourne Tigers in a special coaching clinic tomorrow at the shelter.

Glen Bines from the Tigers' junior development program will coach players aged between 5-12 on basketball fundamentals. Each child will receive a Melbourne Tigers t-shirt, and a sausage sizzle will also be available. The coaching clinic runs between 4-6pm, and entry is free.