Six Florida Tennis Facilities Receive 2024 USTA Outstanding Facility Award

ORLANDO, Fla., August 28, 2024 – The USTA today announced the 41 winners in the USTA’s annual Outstanding Facility Awards program, which recognizes excellence in the construction and/or renovation of tennis facilities throughout the country. Six of the 41 winners were Florida facilities.

“Outstanding tennis facilities like the ones awarded with this honor 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 Theodore Loehrke, Managing Director, Section Partnerships, USTA. “The great work of these facilities continues to support our shared mission of growing tennis to inspire healthier people and communities everywhere.”

Nominated facilities were voted on in the following categories: Public Courts that are either small tennis centers with 2-11 courts or large tennis centers with 12 or more courts; Private Facilities that offer both USTA and public programming designed to help grow tennis (small: 2-11 courts; large: 12 or more courts); and Educational Institutions such as colleges, universities, public and private grade schools, middle schools, or high schools. All 2024 award winners will receive a wall plaque and an all-weather sign, which can be mounted at the facility.

In the category of Public Courts were Arthur L. Allen Tennis Center (Naples, Fla.), Frank Veltri Tennis Center (Plantation, Fla.), and Pompano Beach Tennis Center (Pompano Beach, Fla.).

In the heart of Old Naples, the Allen Tennis Center offers top-notch facilities and programs for players of all levels and ages. With 12 LED-lit Har-Tru courts, shaded areas, cold-water fountains, and a tennis shop featuring the latest gear, the center provides a complete tennis experience.

Plantation’s Frank Veltri Tennis Center has been the longstanding host of the prestigious Orange Bowl. Over the years, it has provided a platform for junior players from around the world to showcase their skills, helping to identify future tennis stars. The center’s historical significance in junior tennis development has cemented its place as a vital institution in the sport.

The Pompano Beach Tennis Center offers 16 lighted clay courts, court rentals, leagues, lessons, and more including daily rentals, memberships, a pro shop, and exclusive member amenities.

In the category of Private Facilities was Omni Amelia Island Resort (Fernandina Beach, Fla.). This upscale resort on Amelia Island was the long-time site of the Bausch & Lomb Championships, a major WTA event that featured some of the greatest female players of all-time as champions, including Steffi Graf, Martina Navratilova, Chris Evert, Monica Seles, Venus Williams among many other Hall of Famers. The resort’s rich history and association with elite tennis add to its charm, making it a place where tennis and leisure harmoniously blend.

Todd Carlson poses at the USTA Outstanding Facility Awards ceremony in the indoor building at the 2024 US Open on Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2024 in Flushing, NY. (David Nemec/USTA)

In the category of Educational Institutions were IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) and PayCargo Tennis Center (Miami).

The IMG Academy in Bradenton is a tennis powerhouse that has made a significant impact on the sport in Florida. Founded by Nick Bollettieri, it has produced numerous tennis professionals, cementing its status as a premier tennis academy. The academy’s influence extends beyond Florida, with its reputation for developing elite players known worldwide.

In April of this year thanks to the generosity of PayCargo, LLC, Florida International University (FIU) Athletics unveiled a fully renovated facility featuring six lighted competition-level tennis courts, shaded seating areas, new fencing, and FIU-branded windscreens. The facility also includes a live-streaming camera system for all six courts and an in-arena scoreboard, enabling fans both on-site and online to follow the Panthers more closely.

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 full list of 2024 USTA Outstanding Facility Award winners are:

Public Courts: Small Tennis Centers (2 to 11 courts)

Academia Puertorriqueña de Tenis (San Juan, P.R.)

Casper Tennis Complex (Casper, Wyo.)

Center Recreation Complex Gallagher Tennis Courts (Lexington, Mass.)

Littleton Golf and Tennis (Littleton, Colo.)

Schaumburg Tennis Plus (Schaumburg, Ill.)

Telluride Racquet Club (Telluride, Colo.)

Waveland Triangle Clay Tennis Courts (Minneapolis)

Public Courts: Large Tennis Centers (12 or more courts)

Arthur L. Allen Tennis Center (Naples, Fla.)

Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning (Bronx, N.Y.)

Darling Tennis Center (Las Vegas)

Denton Tennis and Pickleball Center (Denton, Texas)

Frank Veltri Tennis Center (Plantation, Fla.)

H-E-B Tennis Center Harlingen (Harlingen, Texas)

Leftwich Tennis Center (Memphis, Tenn.)

O’Connor Tennis Center (Montgomery, Ala.)

Pelham Racquet Club (Pelham, Ala.)

Pompano Beach Tennis Center (Pompano Beach, Fla.)

Sioux Park Tennis Facility (Rapid City, S.D.)

Washington Tennis & Education Foundation East Campus (Washington, D.C.)

*named USTA Featured Facility of the Year

Small Private Facilities (2-11 courts)

Alpine Hills Tennis & Swimming Club (Portola Valley, Calif.)

CourtSense at Bogota Racquet Club (Bogota, N.J.)

Dedham Health and Athletic Complex (Dedham, Mass.)

Forest Highlands Golf Club (Flagstaff, Ariz.)

Life Time Frisco (Frisco, Texas)

North Carolina State University Club (Raleigh, N.C.)

Pearson Automotive Tennis Club (Zionsville, Ind.)

Sea Pines Country Club (Hilton Head Island, S.C.)

Tennis Addiction Sports Club (Exton, Pa.)

Large Private Facilities (12 or more courts)

Austin Tennis Academy (Austin, Texas)

Canebrake Country Club (Hattiesburg Miss.)

Genesis Health Clubs – Saw Mill Club (Mt. Kisco, N.Y.)

Germantown Cricket Club (Philadelphia)

New Orleans Lawn Tennis Club (New Orleans)

Omni Amelia Island Resort (Fernandina Beach, Fla.)

Educational Institutions

Barbara S. Wynne Tennis Center (Indianapolis)

Grand Haven High School (Grand Haven, Mich.)

IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.)

Lichtenberg Tennis Center (West Point, N.Y.)

Mark Reilly Tennis Center (Jeffersonville, Ind.)

Middle Tennessee State University Tennis Complex

PayCargo Tennis Center (Miami)