Tennis Center Update and Annual Appeal

*See corrected Donate link*

153 Youth

108 Hours of Instruction

Free Programming

61 Events - 55 Volunteers - 75 Rackets Distributed

Holiday Greeting to All!

Tennis Alliance Outreach had a busy and successful 2021 delivering tennis and educational programming to under-resourced communities in Anne Arundel County.

During this difficult time, our healthy outdoor sport has been a treat to so many youth and families. The Tennis Alliance Outreach arm, 'Serving Up Tennis', partners with nonprofit organizations to support shared missions, healthy lifestyles and values learned through sport. In 2021 we provided free weekly programs for:

HACA, Housing Authority of the City of Annapolis
Center of Help / Centro de Ayuda
Special Olympics MD, Anne Arundel County
Truxtun Park neighborhood communities
Head Start Brooklyn/Brooklyn Park Library

Special Events

Crofton Chamber of Commerce, National Night Out
City of Annapolis, Truxtun Park Ribbon Cutting Ceremony tennis clinic

The Tennis Alliance is a 501c3 volunteer organization and the only USTA NJTL Chapter (National Junior Tennis and Learning) in Anne Arundel County. We rely on your donations, grant support, and volunteers to run our programs and support organizational costs.

Please consider giving the GIFT OF TENNIS to others!

Add the Tennis Alliance to your annual giving.

TO DONATE

scroll to see orange donate button

THANK YOU!

$20 provides one child with a new youth racket and tennis balls.

All donations support instruction costs, educational materials, equipment, and organizational capacity.

$90 sponsors one child to participate in USTA AACTA Junior Team Tennis program

$130 sponsors one child to participate in the Patapsco League season

Checks payable to: Tennis Alliance of Anne Arundel County

Sent to: P.O. Box 6297, Annapolis MD 21401

Thank you to our grant providers!

USTA Foundation
USTA Mid Atlantic
Rotary Club of Parole
The Krall Family Foundation

And our Partners!

Healthy Anne Arundel Coalition, Healthy Eating Active Living (HEAL)
Anne Arundel County Recreation and Parks
Annapolis Recreation and Parks

Wishing everyone a safe and healthy holiday season!

Louise Gengler Thomas

Lthomas@TennisAllianceAAC.org

(609) 647 5958

Tennis Center at Millersville Park - Update

The Anne Arundel County tennis community is very disappointed to learn that the Pittman Administration and Recreation and Parks have taken actions that will effectively stop the Tennis Center at Millersville Park project. No specific plans have been provided for moving forward with a tennis center that AACo so desperately needs.

A summary of recent developments follows:

COPPERMINE LEASE REJECTED BY COUNTY COUNCIL

AACo’s attempt to find a partner through an RFP (Request for Proposal) process conducted by the Purchasing Department was unsuccessful. Coppermine, LLC., a Baltimore-based sports club operator, was selected as “best value” by a selection committee. The County awarded Coppermine a lease to design, build and operate the indoor facilities and the tennis center subject to County Council approval.

Compelling public testimony at public hearings supported the tennis center project but opposed a 50-year lease (two 25-year terms) to Coppermine on the grounds that the Coppermine proposal provided uncertain public benefits and would permit operations to expand far beyond tennis including a for-profit health club. On Oct 18th the council rejected the lease with Coppermine by a 4-3 vote.

The Council rejected the lease - they did NOT reject the tennis center project. In fact Council Members who voted to reject the lease have stated that they support the development of a tennis center at Millersville Park.

IT IS THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE’S PREROGATIVE TO TAKE THE NEXT ACTION

Mr. Pittman and his administration have the authority to move the eight-year Recreation and Park project forward through further negotiations with the bidder, opening negotiations with the second qualified bidder, JTCC (Junior Tennis Champions Center), or through other procurement strategies.

The project funding has been approved by the County Council each year since 2016, and $6.53M is in the budget for the Tennis Center at Millersville Park.

PITTMAN PLANS TO GIVE THE TENNIS FUNDING AND TENNIS SITE

TO OTHER SPORTS

A front page article in the Capital Gazette Oct. 29, "Millersville space designated for Coppermine tennis center likely to be used for other recreational sports now" announced that the Pittman Administration plans to abandon the Tennis Center at Millersville Park project. Mr. Pittman hopes to "repurpose" the tennis funding and "reprogram" the Millersville site for sports fields. Mr. Pittman stated, "We’ll make a plan for tennis.” Unfortunately, that plan has no site, no funding, no vision.

LOUISE THOMAS COMMENTARY, CAPITAL GAZETTE NOV. 14

Tennis Alliance Board President, Louise Thomas, wrote of the tennis community’s concern and reaction to these developments in a recent Capital Gazette OPINION column. SEE: "Pittman Playing Politics with Tennis Center Project"

MOVING FORWARD

We do not understand why County Executive Pittman is taking this action. The Tennis Alliance will work through continued advocacy and consultation with the tennis community to keep pressure on our elected officials to keep the Millersville site for tennis and to keep the $6.53M legislatively-approved funding for the tennis center