How USTA Tennis Venue Services assisted in renovating the Leftwich Tennis Center
Boasting 24 outdoor and 12 indoor courts, the newly refurbished and expanded Leftwich Tennis Center in Memphis, Tenn., is one of the largest tennis centers in the Southern U.S.—and is on track to becoming one of the nation’s premier public tennis venues.
The new Leftwich Center opened in November 2023 and serves as the home of the University of Memphis tennis teams. It is also the home base for Tennis Memphis, a non-profit youth development organization and a four-star chapter of the USTA Foundation’s National Junior Tennis & Learning Network.
Along with new courts, the facility features a VIP suite with a bar and lounge; University of Memphis lockers, lounge, training room, recovery room and offices; Daktronics scoreboards; NJTL learning space; covered viewing on every court; pro shop; and public locker rooms. The approximately $32 million project received funding from the City of Memphis, University of Memphis, Tennis Memphis NJTL/CTA and the USTA.
The USTA’s Tennis Venue Services was involved from the project’s inception to its opening, delivering business and technical expertise such as technical construction support, business consultation, concept and design support, and other resources.
“It was a great public/private collaborative effort and was driven by Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland,” notes the USTA’s Todd Carlson, director of Tennis Venue Services, parks & CTAs. “Prior to the renovation, the facility had four indoor and eight outdoor courts. The idea was to enhance the facility and give it the ability to host national events. This is one of the largest projects that we’ve been engaged with.”
Brian Bendersky, a member of Tennis Memphis’ board of directors, notes that the project started years ago as a partnership with the city, the University of Memphis and private donors.
The renovated Leftwich Tennis Center.
“The private donors raised most of the funds. We worked closely with USTA’s Tennis Venue Services to be sure we met all the USTA guidelines for handling tournaments. In fact, we redesigned the original plans and added courts [to be able to attract] more tournaments. Having 12 indoor courts as a weather backup to our 24 outdoor courts is a plus to be sure tournaments are completed on time.”
The efforts are already paying off in a big way.
“We saw 10,000 visitors to the facility in the first month,” says Scott Mitchell, CEO of Tennis Memphis and general manager of the Leftwich Tennis Center. “We are in the beginning stages with implementing much-needed programming, events and tournaments for Tennis Memphis but we are seeing tremendous growth already. Our state-of-the-art facility will allow us to bring large tournaments, USTA Leagues, NCAA tournaments, events, and even the possibility of bringing back a professional tournament or two.”
Mitchell anticipates the venue will bring several million dollars of economic impact to Memphis each year. He is also quick to credit the USTA as being “a huge partner throughout the project with their insight on facility design.
"We could not have asked for a better group to help us through it all than the TVS team," he said.
The overall consensus is that the Leftwich Tennis Center is elevating tennis facility design.
“It’s a leveling up of facilities and it’s impacting the vision of future venues throughout the country,” says Carlson. “It is a great example of how tennis can impact the health and well-being of communities.”
For other communities looking to build, expand or refurbish tennis facilities, Carlson advises, “Have patience and stick to the vision. It’s a marathon, not a sprint.”
Judy Leand is a contributing editor to Racquet Sports Industry magazine. For more on how the USTA’s Tennis Venue Services can help your facility or project, visit usta.com/facilities or email facilities@usta.com.
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