USTA Upgrades National Tennis Center, Forgets About Roof

By Noah Davis 

Remember all that controversy at the US Open caused because of delays that could have been avoided if there was a roof on Arthur Ashe Stadium? Yeah, that was fun.

Well, the USTA plans to spend $300 million to upgrade the Billie Jean Tennis Center – home of the US Open.

Things included in the dollar figure: “tearing down and replacing Louis Armstrong Stadium and building two mini-stadiums.”

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Things not included in the dollar figure: A roof for Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Ugh.The new Louis Armstrong Stadium will be “roof-ready,” whatever that means. But guys and girls of the USTA, this is getting ridiculous. John McEnroe is apoplectic. You need a roof, if for no other reason than to avoid embarrassment on television again.

In 2008, United States Tennis Association chief executive Arlen Kantarian said: “I would say at this point it’s a question of when as opposed to if,” when asked when the venue would get a roof.

Clearly, we’re still waiting on that when.

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