Rome preparing to welcome best of ACC
Focus is on top facilities and hospitality for the 2017 Atlantic Coast Conference Outdoor Tennis Championships.
It’s been less than a year since the Rome Tennis Center at Berry College opened its 60 courts to the public, and it quickly attracted the attention of one of the country’s major collegiate conferences.
The Atlantic Coast Conference, which members include Georgia Tech, North Carolina, Virginia and Clemson, announced last October that the groups 2017 Outdoor Tennis Championships would be held in Rome at the recently-completed 30-acre SPLOST-funded facility.
Both the men’s and women’s championships will be played at the facility on the Armuchee Connector, with a practice day April 25 followed by actual competition April 26-30. The event has been held in Cary, North Carolina the past eight years.
Tom Daglis, executive director of the RTC, along with management and Rome Sports Commission director Ann Hortman, have been working on not only confirming the logistics of hosting such a high-profile tournament, but also making sure Rome’s tennis community can be a part of it.
“Plans are going great,” Hortman said. “We’re starting to develop our extra activities that will be held around town to welcome the players, coaches and spectators to our city.”
Tuesday’s practice day will be free of charge for the public to come and see the competitors prior to the start of the tournament, according to Hortman. Spectators can purchase single day or tournament passes to attend the actual competition.
Hortman said the tournament matches will be played on 18 courts, with the remaining courts available for warm-ups and practices. The semifinals and finals, which are scheduled for April 29 and 30, will be held on the on the six showcase NCAA courts located to the east of the clubhouse.
ACC officials made the decision to move all of its neutral site championship events out of North Carolina in protest of a state law, HB 2, requiring people in publicly owned buildings to use restrooms that correspond with the gender listed on their birth certificate.
“This state-of-the-art facility, and the support of the Rome Sports Commission, will create a remarkable championship experience for all involved,” said Brandon Neff, ACC assistant commissioner for championships, in a press release.
Having the ACC Network television coverage will be a huge bonus in terms of spreading the word nationwide about the RTC.
Daglis said one of the things that excites him the most is the caliber of tennis that will come to Rome for the tournaments.
“We’ll definitely be bringing in more spectator seating and we’ll be working on better parking,” he said. “We want to make it as pleasant as we can for the public to come in and participate.”
Hortman has also bid on the event for the 2018-2020 cycle.
One way that local residents can be a part of the event is by volunteering.
Volunteers are needed to serve in many capacities including logistics, ticketing, parking, hospitality, media services and merchandise sales during the event. Hortman also said that they will need people to help before and after the event for pre-event setup, and post-event breakdown and cleanup.
While some of the volunteer positions require tennis knowledge, it is not necessary for every position, as a wide variety of skill sets are needed. Individuals must apply online at rometenniscenter.com.
All volunteers must be 18 years old and attend one of two mandatory orientation sessions the week prior to the tournament.
Select opportunities will be available for junior volunteers ages 16-17 years old. A waiver must be signed by a parent or guardian. Volunteer hours may be counted toward school credit, but interested students must check with school coordinators to confirm.
For more information on volunteering, contact Hortman at 706-236-4550 or the tennis center at 706236-4487. Above: A banner waves in the wind in front of the clubhouse of the Rome Tennis Center at Berry College on Saturday, July 16, 2016. They 54-court facility saw it’s first tournament action with the Georgia State Junior Open.
Right: Canvas canopies cover the players’ benches at the Rome Tennis Center at Berry College, and small bleachers are positioned around the edges of the court groups for spectators.
Photos by Jeremy Stewart RN-T.com
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