SERVING UP A GRAND NEW LOOK FOR CENTRE
FORGET the Australian Open, Wimbledon and Roland-Garros, the Gold Coast is soon set to house an international standard tennis venue.
A $1.3 million redevelopment of the Queens Park Tennis Centre in Southport officially kicked off last month and will see 10 international-standard courts built, including two show courts. The official sodturning ceremony was held on Friday with Councillor Brooke Patterson given the honour of breaking ground.
The redevelopment is set to help attract large scale tournaments to the Gold Coast after a decade of campaigning from Tennis Gold Coast for the redevelopment.
Tennis Gold Coast president Mike Ford said he couldn’t wait to welcome new and returning players to the redeveloped courts.
“We are thrilled with the commencement of the redevelopment of the Queens Park Tennis Centre,” he said. “Our players can look forward to playing on an improved surface under the latest state of the art lighting system.”
Tennis Queensland president Warwick Nicol said the redevelopment would have significant benefits for the whole sport in the state.
“A facility of this size and standard will attract new players to the game on the Gold Coast but will also become a magnet for international players who arrive in Australia early for the summer of tennis and need world-class facilities to train on,” he said.
“The potential for hosting international standard tournaments will offer another boost to the local economy and strengthen the pathway for Queensland’s next generation of professional tennis players.”
Queens Park Tennis Centre will remain open during the redevelopment works.