Tennis Center Proposal
As envisioned, the Durango Community Tennis Center will be a public year-round facility with eight lighted outdoor courts and six indoor courts and affordable for all members of our community. Below is an example of what another community has accomplished and what we look forward to for the citizens of Durango.
Durango's tennis center can look like this beautiful facility recently built by the people of Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Facilities
A tennis shop will offer tennis attire, equipment sales and repair. Restrooms with showers and lockers and a social area will be available. Staffing will consist of a full-time manager and a USPTA tennis pro who will organize matches, tournaments, leagues, and tennis camps, as well as provide instruction and record court reservations. Maintenance costs will be offset through nominal user fees for tournaments, lessons and tennis camps.
The Cost
The estimated cost to build a tennis center of this caliber is $4,000,000, excluding land acquisition. Approximately eight to ten acres will be needed. If space is provided in close proximity to our Durango Recreation Center, this would alleviate the need for a building with a reservation desk, drinking fountains, showers, restrooms, lockers, and child care. A location near the Recreation Center would cut costs significantly, provide security and require much less space. Four to five acres would be adequate. Also, a location near the Recreation Center would be in close proximity to Durango High School and nearby elementary schools, which would be convenient for the children in our community.
A tennis center for Durango
A very strong demand exists in Durango for a year-round public tennis center, and Durango has only two public courts at the Mason Center. It is our firm belief that kids with something to do are less likely to do drugs. A public year-round tennis center with programs for the youth in our community would give children a healthy atmosphere to "hang out" and enjoy their friends. It would also benefit the many hotel, restaurants and businesses by bringing families into Durango from other areas for tennis tournaments and tennis camps. By providing tourists with a welcome vacation experience, a full-service, well maintained, public tennis facility would be an enhancement to our tourist industry.
More Information
If you have any questions or would like to help, please contact Dave Grenoble at (970) 247-0680, or Email Us. The Durango Community Tennis Association welcomes your ideas and support.
The Shellaberger Tennis Center, built by the citizens of Santa Fe, N.M. can serve as a model for the facilities we envision. For a description and pictures CLICK HERE.