City seeks backing for $26m tennis centre

A PROPOSED $26 million tennis centre at Armstrong Creek has been declared Victoria’s top tennis infrastructure priority, despite plans for a much larger tennis academy development less than 25km away.

The City of Greater Geelong says the Geelong Regional Tennis Centre would service the fast-growing Armstrong Creek corridor and wider south-west region.

There are currently no tennis courts in Armstrong Creek.

The proposal comes as the long-delayed Cape Otway Road Australia (CORA) development in Modewarre continues to seek investors, after its opening date was pushed back to 2029.

CORA includes plans for a Geelong-based version of French coach Patrick Mouratoglou’s flagship tennis academy, with 48 courts and high-performance training facilities.

Asked whether uncertainty surrounding CORA had strengthened the case for the Geelong Regional Tennis Centre, Geelong mayor Stretch Kontelj instead pointed to endorsements for the Armstrong Creek centre from Tennis Australia, Tennis Victoria and local clubs.

“This is the number one priority infrastructure project for the sport in this state,” Cr Kontelj said.

 

“We see significant potential for the precinct to become a premier regional tennis hub and an important complement to Melbourne Park, with the capacity to attract professional players and host high-level tournaments and events that lead into or following the Australian Open and other major competitions.”

The proposed centre would feature 12 ITF-approved courts capable of hosting international events, eight community courts, and another eight multipurpose courts for pickleball, Hot Shots and POP Tennis.

The city says the facility would service a catchment of about 75,000 people and help address a shortage of tennis infrastructure in the Armstrong Creek growth corridor.

The council has committed $13 towards the project, alongside $1 million from Tennis Victoria and Tennis Australia, and is seeking a further $10 million from the state and federal governments.

Tennis Victoria chief executive Kim Kachel said the centre represented an important long-term investment in the future of regional tennis.

“Tennis Victoria is proud to be part of a long-term vision that strengthens the entire tennis ecosystem, from local clubs through to high-performance pathways,” Kachel said.

Mouratoglou Tennis Academy had not responded to questions as this newspaper went to print.