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City to open $3.7 million tennis complex
Dan Eakin/Staff Photo - Lemuel Randolph, director of the McKinney Parks, Recreation and Open Space Department, tries out one of the 11 tennis courts at The Courts at Gabe Nesbitt Park, scheduled to officially open Saturday afternoon in McKinney. In the background is the new clubhouse, which has a wrap-around patio and a complete line of tennis accessories available for purchase.
By Dan Eakin, deakin@acnpapers.com
Several hundred people are expected to be at Gabe Nesbitt Community Park on Saturday afternoon for a grand opening event for McKinney's new $3.7 million tennis complex.
The event, scheduled for 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the park located at 3253 Alma Road, will feature McKinney City Council members and other city officials serve tennis balls over the net in celebration of the opening.
Residents may sign up for memberships, purchase equipment and be eligible for numerous prizes. Activities will include exhibition matches, a serve competition, a "beat the pro" game and raffle drawings.
"The community has been waiting for this tennis center, and we are all very excited to officially open the doors and show off our beautiful new facility," Randolph said. "The opening event characterizes the Courts, because this is a community center open for all ages and levels of players."
The new complex features a modern 3,500 square-foot clubhouse with a wrap-around patio, 11 tennis courts including a signature stadium court with a spectacular view area and room for special events.
The Courts, to be managed by Lifetime Tennis, will offer year-round leagues, lessons and a retail shop with tennis equipment.
Randolph said one court will be kept available for use by any couples or four-member teams that walk up who are not members of a league. Players may pay for one-time use of a court or purchase an annual membership.
The funds to construct the facility came as a result of voters approving $90 million in bonds in 2006. Most of that was spent on road and street construction, but $3.5 million was earmarked for a tennis facility.
Randolph said bonds were sold in 2011 to provide most of the funds, with the balance from park land dedication funds from developers who are required to contribute certain amounts for recreational purposes.
Before the new tennis court complex was constructed, there were only two public tennis courts in McKinney, both located at Finch Park. The city also gained permission from McKinney ISD to use courts at McKinney High School and Evans Middle School.
The Courts, located near the intersection of Eldorado Parkway and Alma Road, are intended to provide top quality services and equipment for tennis enthusiasts.
"We wanted to be able to develop a country club type of facility and be able to offer its services at reasonable prices," Randolph said.
For more information, call 972-547-7480 or go to www.mckinneytexas.org.
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