By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Wednesday May 10, 2023
The Western and Southern Open could be headed for a new home as soon as 2026.
Beemok Capital, the private equity form that purchased the Western and Southern Open’s license from the USTA last year, is proposing a $400 million development that would bring a major tennis facility to the River District in west Charlotte.
That could potentially mean a 2026 shift in venue for the tournament that has long made Mason, Ohio its home.
The Beemok group, headed by Ben Navarro (who also owns the Credit One Open WTA 500 event in Charleston, S.C.), is asking the taxpayers of the city of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County to fund a third of the project’s $400 million cost. According to reports, the event could bring in $350 to the local economy and 650,000 visitors (annually).
Charlotte’s city and county leaders are considering a proposal to build a state of the art professional tennis stadium and campus in the future River District. Developers say it could bring $300 million into the local economy and 650,000 visitors a year. @wcnc
— Julia Kauffman (@JuliaKauffmanTV) May 10, 2023
Reportedly, If the project is approved by city and county leaders, the Western & Southern Open would be moved from Cincinnati, Ohio to Charlotte.
“There’s a lot of work to do, we’re evaluating the future of the tournament,” said Ford Perry, the CEO of Beemok.
The good news for Charlotte would be tough news for loyal, diehard fans in Ohio and the American midwest. The Western and Southern Open has been in Cincinnati since 1899.
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