Two new, lighted outdoor courts will complement major renovations taking place indoors at the Quad City Tennis Club.
"People want to play tennis outdoors in the summer and we want people to be able to enjoy the club year-round. These two new courts will help make that happen," said Chris Ontiveros, who, along with his wife Pamela, owns the Moline facility formerly known as the South Park Tennis Club.
A groundbreaking ceremony was held Thursday for the new outdoor courts and an adjacent viewing area that will be built between now and September on a patch of ground located just north of the west end of the existing nine-court indoor facility.
The improvement at the only indoor tennis facility in the Illinois Quad-Cities will create an 11-court venue Ontiveros wants to see attract regional tournaments in the near future.
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"The vision is to make this the finest facility in the Midwest and the outdoor courts will help move us in that direction," Ontiveros said. “We expect the work to move quickly and the courts to be ready for use by the end of September."
He said he is working with Visit Quad-Cities to create a regional tennis event with a payout of $50,000-$100,000 that would be hosted by the Quad City Tennis Club.
"Having some of the best players in the Midwest compete here is something we're looking forward to making happen. We’re excited about the possibilities," Ontiveros said.
The Ontiveros family has owned the Quad City Tennis Club since January 2019, and the addition of the outdoor courts is part of an ongoing renovation project over the past 18 months to rejuvenate a facility which first opened in 1974.
New LED lighting has been placed over all nine indoor courts, reducing the number of overhead fixtures from 48 to 30 while increasing the amount of light, and all indoor courts are benefiting from new heating and air conditioning.
A new expanded viewing area for spectators has been created with additional space planned, and cameras have been installed on each court to provide livestreaming of play.
Additionally, locker rooms have been renovated and in addition to new flooring, a fresh coat of paint has been applied and new decorative banners featuring Quad-City area tennis greats will soon be installed throughout the venue.
"The entire facility has a fresh new look and feel to it," said Jim Scott, director of racquet sports for the Quad City Tennis Club. "The lighting has made a huge difference that people notice right away and for the first time, the three courts in West building have air conditioning."
The new outdoor courts will also be able to be converted into eight pickleball courts and will be adaptable for use in badminton competition. An indoor court will be available for use in both of those growth sports as well.
The Quad City Tennis Club also recently expanded its program offerings, forming a new nonprofit organization called First Racquet Quad Cities which has as its goal introducing tennis and its values to underserved youth in the community.
A group of 12 middle school-aged children from the Boys and Girls Club of the Mississippi Valley participated in that program’s first session of after-school lessons.
"We have a lot of exciting things going on here." said Ontiveros, "and the new outdoor courts will only enhance that."