Bendat gets ket to basketball centre
Jack Bendat is fond of saying he came to Australia in 1966 "without knowing a single person".
Yesterday, the American-born businessman capped his rise from relative nobody to institution by giving his name to WA's new $40 million basketball centre.
Dr Bendat said the announcement, which coincided with his 90th birthday, was an honour given it combined his love of WA with his love of basketball.
"I'm the lucky person," Dr Bendat, who has owned the Perth Wildcats since 2007, said.
"In 1966 we arrived in Western Australia not knowing a single soul and here we are in this year and we can put something back into the community."
Sports Minister Mia Davies said Dr Bendat's name would adorn the Floreat centre for 21 years under a naming rights deal, though she declined to say how much the agreement was worth.
Instead, she pointed out that the money would go to the upkeep of the centre, which opened in 2010 and serves as a training base for about 6000 amateur basketball players each week as well as the Wildcats and women's team the Perth Lynx.
Asked about the significance of his 90th birthday, Dr Bendat quipped that his father lived to 101 and he planned to match the feat.
