The United States Tennis Association (USTA) has chosen the J. Spencer Love Tennis Center as one of 29 nationwide winners of its annual Outstanding Facility Awards, which recognizes excellence in construction and renovation of tennis facilities.
“The J. Spencer Love Tennis Complex is an integral facility to our city’s commitment to being a youth sports capital and to our reputation as ‘Tournament Town.’ We’re honored to be acknowledged at the national level for this terrific facility and are extremely grateful for the public-private partnership which made the facility expansion and enhancements possible,” said Parks and Recreation Director Phil Fleischmann.
The City’s $1.2 million renovation and expansion included the construction of six additional clay courts with new lighting and other facility improvements. Parks and Recreation will host a ribbon cutting celebration for the expansion October 20 at 10 am.
Recognized by the USTA Foundation as a National Junior Tennis and Excellence Team Program location, with 19 courts Spencer Love is now the largest public clay court facility in North Carolina and among the top 10 largest in the south. The project was designed to help Greensboro bring tennis tournaments to the area while expanding opportunities for local players.
“Great tennis facilities like the Spencer Love Tennis Center help us to grow the game at the grassroots level, and we are proud to recognize them for their ongoing impact on the sport of tennis,” said USTA Chief Executive of Community Tennis Craig Morris. “Spencer Love Tennis Center has embraced many of our tennis initiatives and kept the sport at the forefront of its community each year.”
The USTA is the national governing body for tennis in the US. Facilities were judged on the following criteria: overall layout and adaptation to site; excellence of court surface and lights; ease of maintenance; accommodations for players, spectators and press/officials; aesthetics; graphics, including the use of signs and landscaping; amenities such as casual seating for spectators, food services and social areas; and the facilities’ participation in grassroots tennis programs. The City’s tennis facilities and programming are operated through a partnership with the Greensboro Tennis Program. For more information visit www.greensborotennis.com.
