St. Petersburg Tennis Center enjoys new look

Tampabay.com | January 15, 2010



St. Petersburg Tennis Center enjoys new look

After eight months in a portable trailer, staff at the St. Petersburg Tennis Center is finally in its shiny, new facility. On Dec. 26, the 4,500-square foot, $1.27 million building was dedicated and opened for business.

The building sits on the same Bartlett Park site it has occupied since 1935. But the old structure started to deteriorate, which forced the city-run center to seek money for the new building. The city approved $900,000 for the facility, and foundation members raised an additional $370,000 to help fund construction.

"We're hoping that this will help tennis in St. Petersburg and will give our membership a boost,'' SPTC general manager Jackie Keller said. "We think that it will allow us to bring some bigger tournaments to the area.''

The building is more than double the size of the old facility. It features locker room and shower facilities, a multipurpose club room, a pro shop and snack bar. It also has the signature wrap-around porch that offers a view of the courts.

There are 14 clay courts and four hard courts. All 14 clay courts have been refurbished over the past two years, although the stadium seating around the Chris Evert Stadium Court has been removed.

The center is also home to Courier's Kids after-school program. The program has more than 300 children enrolled, and they meet from 3-6 p.m. on weekdays to work on homework and play tennis. It is funded mostly by former professional Jim Courier's foundation.

There is still some cosmetic work to do on the building, but it's basically back to full strength.

"The new building will allow us to reach more at-risk kids, provide learning opportunities for all ages, and conduct day-to-day operations in a safe, fun atmosphere,'' foundation president Mike Carroll said. "It also establishes the center as a world-class tennis facility, capable of hosting nationally sanctioned players and tournaments.''