Charlotte Revives Plans for Tennis Stadium in River District After Tournament Bid Failed

Charlotte City Council member Malcolm Graham said Wednesday he's been working to bring back plans for a tennis stadium. The city lost its bid for a major tournament two years ago. The former Johnson C. Smith University tennis player told reporters at a post-election-night roundtable he's stayed in touch with Ben Navarro. They've been discussing a facility that could host tennis matches and concerts.

The proposed venue could be built at the River District. It's a 1,400-acre master-planned development in west Charlotte near the airport — some of the area's last remaining undeveloped land. Beemok had in mind a $400 million complex at that site.

Graham shared the project may involve council dipping back into the city's tourism tax funds. The city offered $65 million of restaurant and hotel tax revenue in the Beemok bid.

Charlotte has tapped tourism tax buckets for renovations of Bank of America Stadium and Spectrum Center. The council approved funding for both facilities in the past year.

The city hosted the inaugural Charlotte Invitational last year. The tennis doubleheader returns this December, drawing star players Venus Williams vs. Madison Keys and Frances Tiafoe vs. Taylor Fritz.

"There's an appetite in this region for big-time tennis," Graham said, per Axios. "When you get an exhibition and you draw 16,000, that's saying a whole lot."

The event made a $4.4 million splash, as reported by the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority. Attendance and spending show market demand for tennis in the area.

Graham thinks the city would get more events with the right facility. "It's one of those scenarios — if we build it, they will come," he said.

Graham plans to start a discussion about the project at council's annual retreat in January. The retreat will mark the first time the revived stadium plans get presented to the full governing body.