On Thursday, June 4, the doors closed permanently at the old Wellington Tennis Center. It marked the end of an era for Wellington’s popular tennis program and was a bittersweet moment for tennis pro Tommy Cheatham, who has called the old facility his second home since the 1990s.
But when one door closes, another opens. Wellington will open its new tennis center with a celebration on Tuesday, June 9 at 9 a.m. It is located at 3100 Lyons Road, at the corner of Lyons Road and Stribling Way, just up the road from Emerald Cove Middle School.
Tennis star Venus Williams will headline the grand opening and join Wellington officials for the ribbon-cutting ceremony. Her company, V Starr Interiors, handled the interior design for the pro shop. Architectural firm Song + Associates worked alongside Pirtle Construction on the 4,506-square-foot facility.
Parks & Recreation Director Bruce DeLaney invited the public to attend the ceremony, which will include comments by the Wellington Village Council and special guests before the ribbon cutting. At the observation deck of the new tennis building, there will be a ceremonial cake and refreshments for all who attend.
“It’s an outstanding, brand-new facility,” DeLaney said. “We’re very excited about this particular venue for the Village of Wellington and our tennis people.”
Cheatham, who will remain director of the new Wellington Tennis Center, is beyond excited about the upcoming opening. He led the Town-Crier on a tour Monday.
“It’s awesome. The old one’s old. This one is more modern, and the courts are going to be so much easier to take care of,” Cheatham said. “It’s set up for more league play, so this will be utilized a lot. I think we’re going to be really busy.”
Previously, the tennis center was part of the Wellington Community Center. Having his own building is something new for Cheatham, who anticipates the benefits of the new location.
“It’s going to be exciting. This view up here is incredible. It’s set up nicely. The facility is set up perfectly for what we do here,” he said. “That was really important to us, having a viewing deck. Most clubs don’t have that.”
There are awnings between the courts that will shelter benches and water fountains. A maintenance building also features additional restrooms.
For those looking to play tennis, check-in is at the front desk. Access to the courts is through the main building. Cheatham suggested tennis shoes for play, or for non-players, most shoes are fine, except running shoes. The facility has rental gear available.
Cheatham believes that almost all of his current players will make the transition to the new facility, plus more will likely come in, perhaps from as far away as Lantana and Boynton Beach. “The location is actually better, I think,” he said. “So many people live on [State Road 7].”
Cheatham is looking forward to meeting Williams and showing off the new facility.
“I’m most proud that they actually did it, and it’s a state-of-the-art tennis complex,” he said.
When Cheatham first learned that there would be a new tennis center, he was excited and wanted to be involved in the design. “There were four bids, and one bidder came to me and asked me what I wanted. I told him what I wanted, and this is it,” he said.
That company wound up being the one chosen to build the facility, which was a happy coincidence for Cheatham.
As the sketches have become reality — the groundbreaking was held in October 2014 — Cheatham has been there every step of the way. He’s been on site for weeks making sure everything went as anticipated. “I think it’s going to be perfect,” he added.
The new building offers the pro shop once you walk into the lobby. To the left and to the right are locker rooms with showers. There are trophy cases, large televisions, an elevator, offices and more. Follow the stairs, or use the elevator, and there is a 180-degree view of the 21 tennis courts.
Because there are many league events, the upstairs lounge features a refrigerator and other amenities to make things easier for lunches and special events. Inside, the room is air-conditioned. Outside, there is a covered walkway that goes halfway around the building. It is the perfect place to watch games, socialize and relax.
Behind the courts is some empty space, Cheatham pointed out. “They have room for maybe five or six more [courts] down there, if they need to expand down the road,” he said.
The courts are made of the same material as the courts at the old facility, Har-Tru clay, but they are watered differently, which makes a world of difference for their usability. “It’s watered from underneath; there aren’t any above-ground sprinklers,” he said, pointing out the stripes where the water comes up and seeps into the court.
The benefit is that there is no down time. They are constantly watered, all day long.
“They never get water on top of them, except when it rains,” Cheatham said. “The old ones at our other place had eight sprinklers where we’d water from above, so we had to water and let them dry before you could use them again. These you can use all day long.”
This week, final touches were being taken care of, Internet connections set up, televisions programmed, some paint added here and there, but, it will all be ready on time. “I’ll be excited once we get in and get settled. It’s going to be a lot of work,” Cheatham said.
Cheatham and his staff began moving things from the current location to the new location Thursday. The new facility will open for tennis players Monday, June 8. Reservations are not needed.
Cheatham estimated approximately 36,000 plays at the original center annually, and he expects that number to increase with the new facility, with its better league conditions and increased court space — moving from 16 to 21 courts.
The same fees exist. The same staff will be there. The only difference, he said, is the new location.
If you want to check out the new facility and can’t attend the ribbon-cutting ceremony, plan to stop by Saturday, June 20 at 10 a.m. when the new Wellington Tennis Center will host a grand opening family fun day. To stay up-to-date on the Wellington Tennis Center’s happenings and activities, visit www.facebook.com/WellingtonTennisCenter.
