CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Leaders from the city of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County held a joint meeting Wednesday to discuss a proposed $400 million development that would bring a major tennis facility to the River District in west Charlotte.
"Project Break Point" includes four tennis stadiums with seating capacities that range from 2,000 seats to 14,000 seats, as well as numerous practice courts across 50 acres. In total, the project would have more than 40 total tennis courts and an amphitheater for outdoor concerts and a pickleball venue.
Beemok Capital, the firm behind the proposal, also considered several sites from the complex, including Eastland Yards, but ultimately landed on the River District due to its proximity to Charlotte Douglas International Airport and a larger plot of land.
From March: River District breaks ground on construction
The River District is already set to transform this area of west Charlotte near the airport with housing, retail, entertainment and parks. Adding the tennis complex would boost the local economy and grow the area even more.
"It’s a great opportunity for our corporate community, for international relations, international business, and international travel," Charlotte city councilman Malcolm Graham said.
Beemok Capital is asking the city of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County to fund a third of the project's $400 million cost, which would cost taxpayers around $133 million. Beemok Capital purchased the rights to the Western & Southern Open, which is one of the longest-running tennis tournaments in the United States. Beemok Capital is owned by Charleston businessman Ben Navarro, who was among the finalists to purchase the Carolina Panthers in 2018.
Beemok would host its first Charlotte tournament at the proposed tennis complex in August 2026. By then, the tournament will have expanded to 14 days and would have an economic impact of $275 million and would bring 350,000 people, according to the company. For context, Beemok says the Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow brought $77 million and 115,000 visitors to the Queen City. Beyond the tournament, Beemok says the complex would bring $300 million and 650,000 visitors each year for various events and year-round operations.
Ford Perry, the chief operating officer, said the company doesn't have exact numbers yet on how many jobs the facility would create but said a major tennis tournament alone would need thousands of employees.
If the project is approved by city and county leaders, the Western & Southern Open would be moved from Cincinnati, Ohio to Charlotte.
Navarro's firm owns Credit One Stadium in Charleston, SC, which hosts the Charleston Open tournament, as well as numerous high-profile concerts and festivals during the year.
Planners called the timeline for the 2026 tournament "aggressive" because it accelerates how quickly leaders must consider and vote on the project.
Frustrations in east Charlotte
While the project is creating buzz for west Charlotte, some in east Charlotte feel they're being left behind - again.
Community members involved in the redevelopment of Eastland Yards told WCNC Charlotte they're happy for the River District but think city leaders are prioritizing the project over Eastland Yards.
To meet the demands of the future tennis tournament, leaders are accelerating their timeline for consideration of the tennis complex. Meanwhile, the city recently decided to delay picking a developer for Eastland Yards.
There are 20 acres on the former Eastland Mall site that need to be developed. The parcel has received a few bids from developers looking to create different entertainment and sports facilities. However, the city extended the deadline for proposal submissions in hopes of getting even more offers.
"It raises the question: Was the deal for the accelerated timeline of the River District proposal-- did that have an impact on the decision to extend the Eastland Yards process by three, four months with no firm date," Greg Asciutto, the board of director chair of the CharlotteEAST community advocacy group, asked.
Asciutto said the east Charlotte project keeps getting delayed. While he’s happy for the River District, he’s lost faith in leaders to prioritize his side of town.
"It's awesome," Asciutto said about the tennis complex. "Like it really should be a transformative space for our entire region but at the same time, we’ve been promising east Charlotte that same type of transformative space for 11 years since the city has owned the property."
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