United States Tennis Association plans new home in Central Florida
The United States Tennis Association has announced that it is planning a new 63-acre, 100-plus-court development in the Lake Nona area. The facility will house and consolidate the USTA’s Community Tennis and Player Development divisions, which are primarily based in New York.
The project has an estimated cost of nearly $60 million as the USTA seeks a new home for American tennis and its 750,000 members. USTA officials said that the project includes tax incentives from state, city and county officials and that it includes a cheap long-term lease for the land.
The aim is to establish an easier pathway for growing the sport with a development program for elite juniors and professionals.
The aim is for Lake Nona to have more tennis courts than any other facility in the country and for it to rival the Nick Bollettieri founded IMG Academy near Tampa. The facility will house 40 hard and clay courts for tournament and league play as well as 12 courts for intercollegiate play and a further 16 courts dedicated to player development.
In future, it’s entirely possible that Lake Nona could host Davis Cup and Fed Cup matches and that’s exciting for the whole of Central Florida as it seeks to become one of the top sports areas in the United States.
