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Hard and Fast Winners

These hard-court award winners are worth showing off.

By Peter Francesconi

Lighting for night play and a backboard/”bang” board seem to be the big attractions with the six outdoor hard-court winners of the Racquet Sports Industry/ American Sports Builders Association 2004 Facility-of-the-Year Awards.

Four of these winners (Carlton Woods, Corash Tennis Courts, Logansport High School, and Hunnewell Tennis Courts) went the extra mile and put in lights to extend playing hours. And three facilities (Carlton Woods, Ona Orth Athletic Complex, and Hunnewell) put in practice areas, either with a backboard on one of the courts or a “bang” board in a separate area, so as not to interrupt match play.

The six projects ranged from the four-court Allenwood Tennis Center (which is the only project to list a “cushioned” surface) to the 10-court Logansport High School facility. Allenwood and Hunnewell also were upgrades of existing facilities; the four others are new projects.

Facility managers seem to realize how important shade is for players. Four of the projects included adding shade shelters between or alongside the courts, and many included water fountains, too. Spectator seating next to the courts also proved popular among this group. And the Corash Tennis Center, on a university campus, also had a safety phone installed with a direct line to the campus police.

But for these new and upgraded outdoor hard-court facilities, it’s a safe bet that the increased activity they’ll receive will be a plus for membership and revenue.

Corash Tennis Courts at Clark University, Worcester, Mass. (Nominated by Geller Sport Inc., Boston) Number of Courts: 6 (acrylic) Architect/Engineer: Geller Sport Inc. General Contractor: David W. White & Sons Surface: Nova Sports Windscreens: M. Putterman & Co. Nets: Lee Tennis Posts: Edwards Sports Products
Logansport High School Tennis Facility, Logansport, Ind. (Nominated by Leslie Coatings Inc., Indianapolis) Number of Courts: 10 (acrylic) Specialty Contractor: Leslie Coatings Inc. Surface & Fencing: Leslie Coatings Inc. Windscreens: M Putterman & Co. Lighting: LSI Courtsider XL Nets, Posts, Center Straps, Pipe: Ball Products Acrylic Color: Latex-ite
Ona Orth Athletic Complex at Bethel College, St. Paul, Minn. (Nominated by Anderson-Johnson Associates Inc., Minneapolis) Number of Courts: 6 (acrylic) Architect/Engineer: Anderson-Johnson Associates Inc. General Contractor: Glenn Rehbein Excavating Specialty Contractor: All-Surface Specialties Surface: All-Surface Specialties Surfacing: Vance Brothers Fencing: Century Fence
Allenwood Tennis Center, Great Neck, N.Y. (Nominated by DeRosa Tennis Contractors Inc., Mamaroneck, N.Y.) Number of Courts: 4 (cushion) General Contractor: DeRosa Tennis Contractors Posts, Shade Shelters: Lee Tennis Court Surface: Deco Systems Nets, Windscreens: J.A. Cissel Manufacturing
Hunnewell Tennis Courts, Wellesley, Mass. (Nominated by Geller Sport Inc., Boston) Number of Courts: 8 (acrylic) Architect/Engineer: Geller Sport Inc. Surface: Vermont Tennis Court Surfacing Backboard: Bakko Bak Bord Windscreens: M. Putterman & Co. Nets: Lee Tennis Posts: Edwards Sports Products	(no photo)
The Club at Carlton Woods, The Woodlands, Texas (Nominated by Trans Texas Tennis Inc., Houston) Number of Courts: 6 (acrylic) Architect/Engineer/General Contractor: Trans Texas Tennis Inc. Surface: Laykold/Advance Polymer Technology Lighting: RLS TE-1000 Championship Nets, Posts: Edwards Sports Products Backboard: Bakko Bak Bord

For details on the 2005 Outstanding Tennis Facility Awards, contact the ASBA at 410-418-4875 or e-mail info@ustctba.com.

See all articles by Peter Francesconi

About the Author

Peter Francesconi is editorial director of RSI magazine.

From the February 2005 issue
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