The William HG FitzGerald Tennis Center in Rock Creek Park may finally be in line for some much-needed upgrades. Home to the Mubadala DC Open tennis tournament, the aging facility hasn’t been significantly renovated since its 1989 opening. In recent years, that’s become an issue. While the yearly tournament has grown in size and prestige since tournament chairman and venture capitalist Mark Ein bought the event in 2019, its infrastructure has struggled to keep pace—and two years ago, Ein said that Washington could lose the tournament, which attracts some 81,000 annual attendees, if major fixes didn’t happen.
Those fixes—at least some of them—appear to be forthcoming, as the DC Council recently approved nearly $10 million for renovations. However, questions remain about when work will take place, what exactly it will entail, who will be in charge of it, and what it means for the future of professional tennis in the city. Here’s what we know so far:
What needs updating, and why?
According to Ein, the center’s tennis courts, lighting, and women’s locker room all need to be redone to meet the standards of the ATP and WTA Tours. He also says other repairs are needed to make the facility more useable for DC residents year round, including repainting, addressing rust, replacing the bubble around the indoor courts, and adding heating.
Hometown tennis hero Frances Tiafoe says he wouldn’t mind an updated stadium, player gym, and spa: “Make it top-notch.”
Documents released by the National Parks Conservation Association last year showed a number of development options have been considered by the National Park Service, which owns and operates the center and surrounding land. Those options range from improved maintenance to redevelopment and expansion of the sporting complex.
Who’s paying?
The DC Council recently approved $600,000 for renovations, in addition to $9 million that was approved last year. However, a budget amendment added by presumptive future mayor and current Ward 4 council member Janeese Lewis George requires an operator of the center to be identified before that money can be used, and also limits its use to updating the current facility.
Ein says that the approved $9.6 million will only cover the costs of the painting and maintenance needed to keep the facility up to snuff for the men’s and women’s tours.
So who will be operating the tennis center—and, presumably, in charge of any renovations?
That’s the multimillion-dollar question. Last year, a deal between the NPS and the DC Department of Parks and Recreation that would have transferred ownership of the facility to the city fell through. In December, the NPS put out a request for proposals from those looking to lease the 40 acres of the park that the sporting complex sits on, with terms requiring lease holders to invest an additional $10 million in the short term and $25 million in the long term.
Ein—who in the past has reportedly floated plans to further develop the surrounding area by adding more courts, a community center, and a pool area—appears to be a leading contender to assume the lease. However, WAMU reports that NPS officials have privately raised objections to the lease process, arguing it’s been unfairly slanted to benefit Ein.
Ein said at a press conference Tuesday that he “really can’t comment on the lease process at all.”
Then when would upgrades happen, exactly?
NPS has not released any information regarding a timeline for the project, and the money allocated by the city can’t be spent until an operator is identified.
However, Ein says extensive facility maintenance needs to be completed before next year’s tournament. “[The tours] really wanted it done this year, and thought it would be,” Ein tells Washingtonian. “It would be very hard to imagine them accepting another year.”
Is anyone against upgrades?
Annotations in the documents released by NPCA show that NPS officials warned against catering to private interests, and that plans for renovations should be made in accordance with protecting the park’s natural resources. The comments also say new development could impact the population of Hays Spring Amphipods, a small and endangered crustacean that’s native to Rock Creek.
Neighbors and community members have also voiced concerns, saying they’ve been left out of the renovation planning.
