Tennis center brings benefits to all of us

On March 23, Florence Mayor Stephen Wukela signed documents securing $7.5 million for two projects for our community, a performing arts center and a tennis complex. Since that time, a number of people have asked if a tennis complex is a smart way to spend money.

That is a good question to ask about any project, and as president of the Florence Tennis Association, I would like to answer it. To explain this project and its importance to our area and its residents, let’s look at three areas: Economic Impact, Quality of Life, and the Community Partnership that brought this project into being.

The first thing that was considered when this project began some seven years ago was the economic impact of tennis events – in terms of hotel rooms, restaurant meals and other amenities – was approximately $1.5 million dollars a year. Since that time, the Florence Tennis Association has increased the number of participants in existing events and developed two additional events. These improvements have increased the economic impact of tennis to approximately $3 million dollars in 2009. The new complex will give Florence enough additional tennis courts to permit us to bid for state, regional and national championships. Just one adult or junior state championship tournament with 900 participants will have a $2 million dollar impact on our local economy.

Our association is highly regarded – last year we were selected from over 1,800 contenders at the United States Tennis Associations Community Tennis Association of the Year, and we have already been approached by event organizers who want us to bid on their tournaments. These are events that will increase the revenues of local businesses that provide jobs and services for our fellow citizens. They will also generate local Accommodations and Hospitality Tax funds by taxing visitors rather than our own residents.

When employers consider relocations in a new area there are several things that are important to them. They look at schools, the available workforce, educational and cultural activities, and the general economy of the area to name just a few.

When considering the quality of life offered by a community, they look for healthy activities for their employees and families, and a modern tennis complex that can offer lessons and recreational activities for all ages will be an important draw. Of course, quality of life is also important to those of us who already live here, and one of the major goals for this complex is to serve as a hub for community activities, and especially for youth programs.
For several years the Florence Tennis Association has worked closely with the city, the county, and other public and private organizations to provide high-quality after-school and summer tennis programs for young people, many of them on a pro bono basis, an effort that has earned us and Florence national and statewide acclaim.

However, we have been prevented from expanding this sort of programming by the lack of court space during peak periods.

Our association is already working with Florence School District One and area businesses to use the new tennis complex for an after-school program that will incorporate education, life skills training, and recreational tennis.

Programs of this type have been shown to improve school performance and behavior, combat juvenile diabetes and obesity, and give kids something worthwhile to do in the hours when they are most likely to get into trouble.

The construction of a tennis complex in Florence will be the culmination of seven years of work by Florence Tennis Association members, city of Florence staff; Florence County staff, the Drs. Bruce and Lee Foundation, and private citizens.

The land and access to the property have been donated, and the Drs. Bruce and Lee Foundation has committed $1.5 million dollars toward the construction of the activity center. Florence County contributed funds to complete the access road from Cashua Drive to the complex site, with the tennis courts and parking funded by the city of Florence using Hospitality Tax funds. These are restricted funds that, under SC law must be spent on one of the following six items:

þ Tourism-related buildings including, but not limited to, civic centers, coliseums, and aquariums;
þ Tourism-related cultural, recreational or historic facilities;
þ Beach access and re-nourishment;
þ Highways, roads, streets, and bridges providing access to tourist destinations;
þ Advertisements and promotions related to tourism development; or
þ Water and sewer infrastructure to serve tourism-related demand.

Using this money for recreational facilities that will bring visitors into our community to spend money that supports jobs in our hotels, restaurants, stores, theaters, and gas stations seems to make sense. Moreover, using Hospitality Tax funds for this purpose also frees up money from the General Fund to be used at city council’s discretion. I applaud Mayor Wukela and the city council for the vision and wisdom they have shown in supporting the Florence Tennis Complex.

Ed Sprenger is president of the Florence Tennis Association.