Effort to Build Regional Tennis Center Gains Traction

An eight-court, indoor tennis center is one step closer to realization after Tuesday's council meeting. This week, the council approved a request by the Shakopee Tennis Association to begin a feasibility study of the proposed facility. 

The Preliminary Plan

Thus far, the preliminary business plan calls for a permanent building with eight indoor courts and eight outside at the Shutrop Park site, an undeveloped 52-acre parcel near Dean Lake. Ideally, the STA would raise the funds to build and operate the center, though the city would retain ownership of the land. The association is asking for a minimal lease on the tract—perhaps even as low as $1. The building would allow tennis fans to play year-round. The center would be open to the general public from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. every day of the year except for Christmas, New Year's, Easter, and the Fourth of July. 

A permanent, bricks-and-mortar structure is essential, proponents say. The association would not be interested in building a bubble structure, said President Dave Forbes.

"Their useful life is seven years and they're cold, noisy, and have to have giant fans," Forbes told the council. "There haven't been any new ones built in a long time because of the maintenance costs."

Forbes said that the STA is confident that the center could be in the black within three years. By current projections, the center would run a $7,144 deficit in the first year one, but would have positive income by the second.  

Turning Shakopee into a Tennis Destination

Once complete, STA officials hope to make the center into a regional tennis hub for the southwest metro and go-to venue for tournaments. Forbes said that the center would meet pent-up demand. Though there are private indoor courts in the area, public facilities severely lacking, he said.  

"We have nothing south of 494 or west of 35W that is public. There aren't a lot of eight-court facilities in the Twin Cities," Forbes said. The ones we do have are running at 97 percent capacity." 

A demographic analysis suggests that the center would pull in patrons from Burnsville, Apple Valley Eden Prairie, Belle Plaine, Jordan, and Edina.

Cost to the City

If ultimately approved, the city would have to put some money into the site, though the building and its operation would be paid. Parks and Rec Director Jamie Polley said that though the STA would pay for most of the insurance costs, the city would be obliged to put money toward some insurance as well. There's also some risk to the city should the center become defunct. In that case, the city would suddenly be on the hook for maintaining a building that is not easily converted to another use. 

For now, however, Forbes and his colleagues had a simple request of the city: Please put development of the park on hold until the STA can complete the feasibility study. Polley said the city has nothing planned for the park at present, so the request poses no conflict with the city's plans.

The council agreed and approved the request to begin the exploratory study with little comment. Final council approval is still pending.  

"This is a great project from our perspective," said Mayor Brad Tabke. 

The STA will begin fundraising only if the study returns favorable findings. Forbes said the analysis will be ready in about six months. Fundraising could take up to two years. Construction will likely begin in 2015 or 2016.

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