Tennis: $12m Stanley St facelift huge boost for tennis

By TERRY MADDAFORD

Tennis in Auckland is preparing to move into the big time with a planned $12 million revamp at the Stanley St headquarters, including a moveable roof over an upgraded stadium court.

The development, led by Auckland Tennis with the support of the Auckland Tennis Charitable Trust, is the biggest for the sport since the shift to Stanley St in 1922.

As well as a boost for tennis, it gives the city a complex capable of hosting major indoor or outdoor sporting events.

When it is completed, Stanley St will accommodate up to 5000 spectators in either upgraded grandstands or upmarket hospitality suites.

The project, developed by architects Jasmax Ltd, will confirm Auckland's position as part of the men's and women's world circuits.

"Before embarking on the project we looked at many options including a move away," said Auckland Tennis chief executive Graham Pearce.

"But it was felt we were in the best possible place. It also made economic sense to upgrade the ASB Bank Tennis Centre rather than start from scratch."

Upgrading was the cheaper option - less than half the cost of starting from scratch. The first stage is planned to start within 18 months and be ready, at least in part, for the January 2002 international tournaments.

It will involve building a permanent stand on the eastern side of the present stadium court, and the motorised translucent roof over the centre court will follow.

The hospitality boxes have become a feature of the stadium, and will play a big role in the future.

"We were the first to build boxes in New Zealand," said trust chairman Peter Wilson. "In the first year [about 20 years ago] we built 11. We sold four and gave seven away.

"Now we have 108 which are all virtually pre-sold. The plan is to add more in this development."

Also planned are improved media facilities, more shade and weather protection for spectators, uninterrupted sight lines (with no sun umbrellas), upgraded food and general facilities, and better player facilities and parking.

"This is our first major development since about 1960," said Pearce, "and we were determined to protect what is seen as a unique tennis environment at Stanley St - with the trees and the Auckland Domain in the background. For that reason we did not want a totally enclosed facility.

"This will be much more than just a tennis venue. It will give Auckland a stadium the city desperately needs."

The development could be completed in a year once the necessary consents have been obtained, but the developers can fall back on a six-stage construction programme if there are any major obstacles.

Pearce also announced an increase in prizemoney - to $US375,000 for the 2001 Open (likely to again be sponsored by Heineken) and a further $US25,000 in 2003.