Tennis Australia and the Brisbane International tennis event have the right to negotiate other discretionary wildcard entries and - while they are concentrating on Australians - on their list is Russian Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova.

"There might be some circumstances where, for example, Maria Sharapova hasn't agreed where she is going to play next year. The first week she hasn't locked in anywhere," Mr Ayles said.

"She is committed to apply for a wildcard and obviously from an event perspective, we would give that some serious consideration.

"But generally speaking, it is really about supporting the juniors in Australia."

Queensland Premier Anna Bligh assured the guests at the opening that the new $82 million Queensland Tennis Centre, still under construction at Tennyson, would be completed well before the Brisbane International kicked off on January 4.

"This event will be a great way to kick off our 150th anniversary," she said, after earlier reminiscing about black and white footage of Queensland tennis star, Ken Fletcher.

It has been three decades since Brisbane hosted a major international mens and womens touring tennis championship and eight years since the last Davis Cup games were played at the Milton Tennis Centre.

One of the surprise announcements today was a $9.90 ground pass which will allow patrons to see play on the two undercover show courts, all the outdoor courts and then watch the match on the centre court on a live screen, similar to Gardens Square at the Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne.

The international-standard roofed centre court has 5500 permanent seats and associated corporate facilities. The two show courts each have 1500 seats, while there are 20 match and training courts.

Next to the tennis centre is a residential development with 390 apartments, a gymnasium and parkland along the Tennyson reach of the Brisbane River.