U.S. Open Stadium Overhaul/"Facelift" Plans
There has been discussion during the past couple rainy U.S. Opens about the future of the massive, yet “roofless” Arthur Ashe Stadium. Recently, the United States Tennis Association announced that there will not be a roof over Arthur Ashe Stadium as part of
the $300 million overhaul of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, but there will be two new mini-stadiums, as well as a brand-new Louis Armstrong Stadium (the secondary stadium at the U.S. Open), which will be also be “roofless”, but “roof-ready” (for the future…).
Only $30 million has been formally budgeted, but construction will begin immediately on one of the new mini-stadiums which will seat 3000 people and be ready by the 2012 U.S. Open, as well as improvements to Ashe including new bathrooms and concessions. The reconstruction of Louis Armstrong Stadium, which will seat 12-15,000 tennis fans (it currently holds 10,000), and the Grandstand, which will be rebuilt to seat 7,000 fans (currently it holds 6,100) is not expected to begin for six to eight years. Despite three straight rain-delayed men’s finals at the U.S. Open, it is apparently prohibitively expensive to build a roof over Arthur Ashe Stadium because it would require building new pillars around the stadium and that looks unlikely to happen.
Each of the other Grand Slams, i.e. the Australian Open, French Open and Wimbledon have recently announced or completed major renovations, e.g. the Wimbledon retractable roof, Melbourne Park expansion and the French Open just announced that it appears to have finally secured agreement to expand across the street from the current complex in Paris. The U.S. Open’s renovations do not appear to be as “game-changing” as what is planned and/or has happened at the other Grand Slams, but nonetheless, periodic “updating” can also significantly improve the tennis fan’s onsite experience as well.
Only $30 million has been formally budgeted, but construction will begin immediately on one of the new mini-stadiums which will seat 3000 people and be ready by the 2012 U.S. Open, as well as improvements to Ashe including new bathrooms and concessions. The reconstruction of Louis Armstrong Stadium, which will seat 12-15,000 tennis fans (it currently holds 10,000), and the Grandstand, which will be rebuilt to seat 7,000 fans (currently it holds 6,100) is not expected to begin for six to eight years. Despite three straight rain-delayed men’s finals at the U.S. Open, it is apparently prohibitively expensive to build a roof over Arthur Ashe Stadium because it would require building new pillars around the stadium and that looks unlikely to happen.
Each of the other Grand Slams, i.e. the Australian Open, French Open and Wimbledon have recently announced or completed major renovations, e.g. the Wimbledon retractable roof, Melbourne Park expansion and the French Open just announced that it appears to have finally secured agreement to expand across the street from the current complex in Paris. The U.S. Open’s renovations do not appear to be as “game-changing” as what is planned and/or has happened at the other Grand Slams, but nonetheless, periodic “updating” can also significantly improve the tennis fan’s onsite experience as well.
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