Located just minutes from campus, the Plaza Tennis Center has been home to Kansas City Roos women’s tennis since 2008.
The tennis team may need to find a home in the near future.
On Sept.10, city officials announced they were seeking redevelopment proposals for the tennis courts.
“It’s hard to imagine how the future of UMKC tennis, as well as high schools, leagues and Rockhurst University tennis, could be impacted if this proposal goes into effect,” said junior tennis player Catherine Chrobak. “It would be a significant loss for the Kansas City tennis community, especially after the courts were just resurfaced.”
After the Missouri Valley branch of the United States Tennis Association (USTA) gained management of the courts early this year, it quickly moved to resurface them.
“They’re in great shape to play,” said Kansas City tennis head coach Kendell Hale. “We’ll have to revisit again what we’re going to do because they’ve been resurfaced year after year, but they’re fine.”
While the tennis courts have been around since 1928, the potential repurposing is nothing new. Hale said the courts are put up for bids every year.
“The city said ‘If we get an offer we can’t refuse, we’ll take it,’ but it would have to be a really good offer,” said Halle. “Not only would the new land managers have to build their own thing, but they would have to build a new tennis center somewhere else in the city.”
While the Plaza Tennis Center would be gone, the city would still have its courts.
The Missouri Valley USTA still has the courts for next two years. The courts aren’t going anywhere until that contract is up.
In the event the property is put under new management, Hale says he has a plan.
“We have great relationships with many clubs around town,” said Hale. “We play most of our home matches at the Genesis KC Racquet Club in Merriam, Kansas. If our team does get relocated, I’m looking for us to play and practice there.”
Kansas City will keep its courts for now, unless an offer is made. Chrobak said the courts are valuable to not just the team, but the community at-large.
“It’s hard to imagine what the future would look like for us without the plaza courts,” said Chrobak. “They’ve become such an important part of our tennis experience.”
