‘We’re never leaving Miami’

Tournament official says there’s too much history

The tennis world will descend and direct undivided attention on Key Biscayne for a glittery two-week run beginning Monday in the Miami Open, as it has every March since 1987.

The tournament, which has seen its status as tennis’ “Fifth Major” challenged in an aging facility, seemed to be in danger of leaving South Florida after a court ruling last year derailed an ambitious plan to upgrade the venue at Crandon Park.

Mark Shapiro, president of IMG, which owns and operates the Miami Open, said this week: “Let me be clear: We’re never leaving Miami, and we absolutely love Key Biscayne. We just want to make it better.”

That will have to happen without the $50 million expansion to the Crandon Park Tennis Center that IMG wanted to pay for. The appeals court left no wiggle room in upholding stipulations of the Matheson family, which deeded the land to Miami-Dade County, regarding what can be built there.

That prompted the attorney representing the tournament to declare that losing the lawsuit would lead to the eventual departure of the Miami Open from Key Biscayne. He suggested the ruling invalidated the current agreement with the county, which runs another seven years after the 2017 event.

Certainly there would be plenty of suitors for the joint ATP-WTA event, which has undergone several name changes. As recently as September, a U.S. Tennis Association official suggested it could land at the new $60 million USTA facility in Orlando. Additional speculation pointed to South America and China.

In the strongest statement from Miami Open management since the legal battle ended, Shapiro emphatically said that’s not going to happen.

“We’re staying in Miami, that’s a promise. We have no intention of moving to Orlando or anywhere else,” Shapiro said. “We’re proud of our heritage. There’s just too much history, too much tradition that’s steeped in this partnership for us to ever walk away from Miami.”

That is certainly relief from an economic and sports perspective for South Florida, which saw the PGA end a 54-year run at Doral when it moved its golf tournament to Mexico City this year.

The Miami Open has an annual economic impact of nearly $390 million, according to tourism officials, draws more than 300,000 spectators and accounts for more than 14,000 hotel rooms booked during the fortnight.

The problem that remains for the Miami Open is similar to what the Miami Dolphins faced with an outdated stadium that was no longer deemed competitive for Super Bowls and other premier events. Dolphins owner Steve Ross unsuccessfully sought public funding for upgrades before paying for the $500 modernization of Hard Rock Stadium.

IMG thought it could get similar results by investing $50 million to counter competition from the likes of Indian Wells, Calif., where billionaire software mogul Larry Ellison has poured millions into turning the Tennis Garden into a desert paradise.

That has led to the BNP Paribas Open, which precedes Miami on the calendar, being named the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournament of the year the past three years. The Miami Open last earned the distinction in 2008, which was the sixth time in seven years.

When Indian Wells began its reign in 2014 after opening a new state-of-theart stadium, French player Paul-Henri Mathieu tweeted: “Indian Wells: most improved tournament for the last decade. Miami: most regressed tournament...! #miamiwhathappened.”

IMG had envisioned a similar makeover for Crandon Park. The court decision ruled out additional construction. There is no route for further appeal.

“We’d like to be able to match some of the improvements and amenities that [Ellison’s] done. We’ve talked to him about it,” Shapiro said. “We don’t want to be among the best; we want to be the best.”

Under the land-use restraints, tournament operators are restricted to cosmetic improvements, upgrading the players’ lounge and jazzing up the fan experience with entertainment and food options.

The Miami Open remains popular with players due to its setting and ambiance. Serena Williams penned an impassioned essay in support of keeping the tournament in Miami that appeared in the New York Times.

Unfortunately, the Miami Open won’t have its eight-time women’s champ on the court this year due to a knee injury. It will have 69 of the top 73 women, and all of the 76 top-ranked men, including Novak Djokovic seeking a fourth consecutive title.

Fans will find the usual festive array of food, fashion and entertainment to enhance the action on the courts. The main food court pavilion offers burgers, salads and sushi, and several gourmet food trucks will be stationed along the beach area.

There are eight new food/drink outlets this year, including the King of Racks BBQ food truck, Grey Goose Beach Bar, Juan Valdez Café and the Burrito Workshop.

While its hands are tied on concrete improvements, Shapiro said the Miami Open still has enough going for it to stand out against increasing competition.

“I think as long as we can continue to be competitive and offer an overall entertaining option for the players and fans, yes, it will be enough to keep us there,” Shapiro said. “We can because … no matter how we dress it up, people will always come to the Miami Open because it offers the best in tennis. And we’re proud of that.”

“We’re staying in Miami, that’s a promise. We have no intention of moving.” Mark Shapiro, IMG president