Tennis star wants academy in Boca park

The world’s No. 1 ranked tennis player, Rafael Nadal, is hoping to bring a sprawling tennis academy to Boca Raton.

Patch Reef Park would become a destination for allthings tennis by adding a rooftop-terraced building with at least 37 indoor courts, as well as facilities for teachings and tournaments, under a proposal. It also would have a gym, four restaurants and a pro shop.

The Nadal-branded school and summer

camp at Patch Reef Park, at 2000 W. Yamato Road, would be the first academy outside of his hometown of Manacor, Spain, a representative said. In documents, it’s referred to as the Rafa Nadal Academy.

Still, the plan has drawn an outcry from some park and tennis center users. No one from the group representing the Nadal academy spoke at a recent public meeting. Some residents asked why the plan was being considered in the first place.

If the park is meant for public use, wouldn’t this run afoul of the deed? asked Michelle Laliberte, a speaker at the meeting. When the park opened decades ago, “it was so all county residents could use it,” she said.

The Greater Boca Raton Beach & Park District and the public got a first look at the designs last week, when 15 drawings were put on display. District Chairman Robert Rollins Jr. replied that the district values the public’s input.

“We’ll take your opinions seriously,” Rollins said. “This mega plan is too big for our park. And unless they’re willing to scale it down, I’m getting a negative.”

Sixty percent of the academy would be for public use, and 40 percent would go to the Nadal operation with an annual revenue to the park district of $1.5 million a year, said Arthur Koski, the district’s interim director.

Koski said a topographical survey of the 55-acre park will see how much green space the proposed building would take. He wouldn’t estimate how much space the academy would take up at the park until the district has more information.

Renderings of the proposal were posted on the district’s website for more public feedback. The district hasn’t approved the designs, and “no agreements have been made with the Nadal organization,” the district said on its website.

On the tennis courts, Nadal has qualified his native Spain for the Davis Cup, competing after suffering a hip injury several months ago.

Meanwhile, Nadal’s academy has scheduled a junior tennis tournament April 28, April 29 and April 30 at Patch Reef Park. It’s unlikely Nadal will be in South Florida for the upcoming event: Nadal’s schedule has him playing in the Barcelona Open from April 23 to April 29.

Nadal