$30M Leftwich Tennis Center renovation could be 'top-three' economic driver for Memphis

By Omer Yusuf – Reporter, Memphis Business Journal

November 21, 2023

Now that renovations at Leftwich Tennis Center are complete, there is growing optimism about Memphis’ place in the regional and national tennis landscape.

Those involved in the $30 million project believe Leftwich is now one of the top tennis facilities in the country and could serve as a significant economic driver for the city. With the upgrades, Memphis now has a venue capable of hosting a wide range of tournaments for players of all ages.

Tennis Memphis CEO Scott Mitchell said the city has about 4,000 league tennis players, but in the past, they often had to travel elsewhere in the state to compete. That is expected to change, with Memphis now positioned to attract tournaments and visiting players.

“They’re staying in hotels, eating at restaurants, and so forth,” Mitchell said. “We could never do that before. That’s why players knew other parts of the state, but not here. Now we’re able to host some of those tournaments, and it elevates us not just in Tennessee but nationally. There’s not another facility like this.”

The nonprofit Tennis Memphis operates Leftwich. The redeveloped site at 4145 Southern Ave. includes 12 indoor and 24 outdoor courts across 200,000 square feet. According to officials, it was the only facility of its size to open in the U.S. in 2023. A grand opening was held Nov. 11.

The number of indoor courts is a key differentiator, Mitchell said.

“Indoor courts of this scale are more common outside the U.S., in places like Canada and Italy,” he said. “For Memphis to have a facility like this is remarkable. There’s probably nothing else like it in the country.”

The University of Memphis men’s and women’s teams will play at Leftwich, which is also open to the public. Mitchell said the facility could provide a recruiting advantage for the university, especially once prospective student-athletes see it in person.

Tennis Memphis also hopes to bring professional tennis back to the city. The Memphis Open was previously held at the Racquet Club of Memphis until 2017.

The project, announced in 2019, was a public-private partnership involving the City of Memphis, the University of Memphis, Tennis Memphis, and private donors.

The United States Tennis Association contributed $100,000 to the project, and its Tennis Venue Services team played a key role throughout the renovation process.

Todd Carlson, director of USTA Tennis Venue Services, said the facility has the potential to make a major economic impact. He compared it to a tennis center in Mobile, Alabama.

“The Mobile Tennis Center is the biggest economic driver in that city,” Carlson said. “With Memphis and this Leftwich facility, this could become one of the main drivers of economic impact for Memphis. Alongside the Grizzlies and the University of Memphis, this could rank among the top contributors to the city’s economy.”