World-class tennis complex nearly a reality

By Ann Miller
Advertiser Staff Writer

A world-class tennis facility on O'ahu is so close you can almost touch it, but don't pop that can of balls yet.

"We're trying to make Hawai'i a world-class professional tennis destination," says Eric Kutner, president of Total Eclipse Sports. Deborah Booker • The Honolulu Advertiser

The first phase, which broke ground Nov. 1, appears days away from prime time. How many days might depend on Waipahu's weather. Landscaping needs to take hold and four perfect days are necessary to surface each set of courts. Rain and wind, which kicks too much red dust into the fragile surfacing mix, have hindered progress.

But the heart of a complex unlike anything O'ahu has ever seen is already beating.

The first phase has nine sets of paired courts and two professionally lighted show courts. One is sunken with seating "plateaus." The other features removable fences that can be replaced by bleachers big enough to bring the Davis Cup back to Hawai'i.

The paired courts look like something out of a five-star resort, with a shady rest area in between, wind screens on the way and landscaping designed to blunt the wind. There are two sets of restrooms and grassy areas with picnic tables between courts.

The complex is at the Ewa end of the park. You can look out toward Diamond Head and over baseball and softball fields.

But mostly, you can play. The facility was designed with free recreational play as a priority. Another priority was to bring the state high school championships back to O'ahu for the first time since 1989. The Hawai'i High School Athletic Association just scheduled the 2003 state tournament for May 8-10 at the facility

"This is the first facility in recent history that can hold every match in one location," HHSAA Executive Director Keith Amemiya says. "It makes it so much easier for everyone. Everyone is excited."

It is just the tip of what could make the facility a world-class tennis iceberg.

"It could really showcase the facility and our kids," says Punahou tennis director Bernard Gusman. "We finally have a facility for hosting events and it would be O'ahu's first national event. It might be the spark to bring in other events. There are lots of possibilities."

Those possibilities would expand with the $3.1 million Phase II, which is in political limbo. It will add a 5,000-seat stadium court, four practice courts and an administration building/clubhouse. It is the difference between a world-class recreational facility and a world-class venue capable of bringing the Davis Cup back to Hawai'i, along with other major events.

Money for the second phase was approved by the city council. But it included a provision that a private group operate the "complex and related facilities and pay for all operating expenses." The council added that the private entity would be responsible for at least half the maintenance costs.

The restriction came up soon after the council found that Waipi'o Peninsula Soccer Park costs the city an estimated $750,000 a year to maintain. When it opened in September 2000, the city said the park would be managed under a public-private partnership, but it has yet to find a private operator. The city recently announced plans to start charging user fees.

The University of Hawai'i's tennis courts have lapsed into a state of disrepair and need major work. Cory Lum • The Honolulu Advertiser

The resolution could have a major impact on the future of the facility. The tennis community is worried that a private operator paying "all operating expenses" would change the focus of the complex from community use to profit-making.

Ron Romano is the new executive director of the HPS, which has 7,000 members. Romano sees a "gigantic tennis community and dwindling number of courts." His league players sometimes wait all day to finish a match. His organization wants everyone to have access.

"We want this to be a world-class tennis facility and we'd like to see it utilized by the greatest number of our tennis-playing community," Romano says. "That's our concern. ... We want full access."

But all involved realize the facility must help pay for itself. That will only be more evident when the second phase, designed to entice revenue-generating events, is built.

"We all agree the tennis facility should be privatized," Tom said. "We are looking at a nonprofit or for-profit group to help manage the facility. The objective is to have it maintained at a quality level and provide a full range of instruction, leagues and other activities to utilize the courts. It's not like the 10 courts at Ala Moana where people walk on and walk off. It needs to be managed properly.

"Ultimately it will be a public-private partnership. The city always wants to be involved financially. No public tennis facility is self-supporting. The only one that makes money is Flushing Meadow (home of the U.S. Open)."

Advisory groups, tennis coalitions and other organizations have been formed to give their input on scheduling, attracting major events, developing a volunteer base and subsidizing the facility. Those groups believe if the courts are built, major events will come.

They have a believer in Eric Kutner, president of Total Eclipse Sports. He brought an ATP Challenger event to the Hilton Waikoloa Village three years ago and added a WTA tournament last September, won by Sandrine Testud.

Kutner has no plans to leave Waikoloa, where he and the players have been treated extremely well. But he is well aware of the complex coming up on O'ahu, and intrigued by the possibility of putting new events in a place with seven times the population of the Big Island.

"We're trying to make Hawai'i a world-class professional tennis destination," Kutner says. "We've been involved with the new facility for some time. We think it's absolutely a great opportunity for Honolulu. And we have a lot of exciting ideas."