Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs spoke as part of the announcement ceremony for the creation of the United States Tennis Association\u2019s (USTA) new state-of-the-art facility at Lake Nona. She was joined by Florida Governor Rick Scott and City of Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer in welcoming the new facility that will create jobs for citizens and attract investment while enhancing both Central Florida and the sport of tennis as a whole.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s incredibly exciting to welcome USTA to Orange County. As a region we are committed to world-class sports, recreation and culture. Establishing the nation\u2019s top tennis training facility in Central Florida is a great win for our community,\u201d Mayor Teresa Jacobs said. \u201cIn addition to the direct economic impact of USTA regional headquarters, we\u2019re excited about the prospects of year-round tournaments and the development of future tennis stars right here in our own back yard.\u201d<\/p>\n
The planned 100-plus court, 63-acre tennis center scheduled for completion in late 2016 will house the USTA\u2019s Community Tennis and Player Development divisions and accessible to youth and recreational players as well as collegiate and professional tour level athletes. Partnering with Lake Nona and Tavistock Group along with a consortium of regional and state partners, the USTA sees the new facility as a hotbed for tennis in the nation\u2019s top destination city.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis new home for American tennis will truly be a game-changer for our sport,\u201d said USTA Chairman of the Board and President Dave Haggerty. \u201cThis world-class facility will be an inclusive gathering place for American tennis and will allow us to impact our sport at every level, from the grassroots to the professional ranks.\u201d<\/p>\n
The USTA Player Development division plans to move its national headquarters from Boca Raton to the new Orlando facility in order to provide greater opportunities for the next generation of American tennis champions. The facility will play host to tennis events ranging from 10 and under team tennis to national championships. Details of facility programming are forthcoming.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis new facility helps Orlando and Orange County expand our image beyond just great places to visit; we are rapidly becoming the best place in the country to live and work,\u201d Mayor Jacobs said. \u201cWe continue to grow as the number one sports location in the country because of our partnerships and collaborative spirit, great weather and friendly people.\u201d<\/p>\n