Sports
City Council Approves USTA Tennis Center Expansion
Tennis association must pay for upgrades at Flushing Meadows Corona Park as part of agreement.
The City Council voted Wednesday to approve a $500 million expansion plan for the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.
As part of an agreement, the USTA will pay $10 million toward capital improvements at Flushing Meadows Corona Park as well as launch an alliance aimed at transforming green space not being utilized through private donations, the New York Observer reported.
The expansion for the tennis center includes tearing down the old Grandstand Stadium and reconstructing it on another spot in the U.S. Open complex.
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Upgrades to Louis Armstrong Stadium and Arthur Ashe Stadium’s infrastructure are also included in the plans.
Construction is expected to take eight years and will be completed between tournaments at the tennis center.
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The Council passed the plan with a vote of 47-1.
“The updates and improvements to the NTC will enhance the usage of the tennis center for local residents, visitors and professional and recreational tennis players while also preserving the U.S. Open Tennis Championships as a world renowned event,” said David Haggerty, chairman of the board, CEO and president of the USTA, in a statement.
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