Question to mayor: Will no-fee pickle ball take over Tennis Center?

5
2325

To the Mayor and City Council: Once again I am hearing rumors of tennis courts being taken away at the Tennis Center and converted into pickle ball courts to be used free of charge to members of the Pickle Ball Club.

Why would I continue to pay my membership to play tennis, if they can play for free?! Mayor Learnard is an avid pickle ball player, so no surprise she is going to go after her pet project regardless of the cry against it.

I am so disappointed because I have been misled about this since the beginning of the rumors. I don’t think the proponents of this move realize what this will do to the Tennis Center, the long-time members, the coaches, and the staff.

We will lose income from tournaments, ALTA Team membership, hotel income, restaurant income, and coaches. I could go on and on and the center will fail.

It is as our Mayor says, “a Crown Jewel of Peachtree City.” The revenue that the city receives from players who come into Peachtree City for matches would also be lost. They come and they play and then have lunch and shop.

Non-residents of PTC also pay extra to be a member. Are non-PTC pickle ball residents also going to play for free? They will be using the facilities, the front desk and parking. Honestly, this makes no sense.

Mayor Learnard, I am very disappointed in your self-serving attitude. And to the members of the Pickle Ball Club, I know it it is a growing sport, but tennis and the Tennis Center, of which I am a founding member, have been here a long time and continue to serve a large population of PTC and the surrounding area.

Mayor, I want to remind you of your comment recently in The Citizen: “Tennis Center: The Peachtree City Tennis Center is a jewel in the crown of our recreation facilities and it is renowned throughout the Southeast US as a quality facility. We host several college and pro events ever year, drawing thousands of visitors who stay in our hotels, and shop and dine here.

“We are currently spending thousands of dollars to address deferred maintenance, and upgrade the facility floors, lighting, and bathroom facilities. We have fixed the flooding problem and turned the lower level of the main building into nice offices, where we could move some of our Administrative staff. We continue to invest in improvements. The tennis center is here to stay. It is not going anywhere and it is not at risk.“

If your plan goes through, the Tennis Center will cease to exist because of lack of planning. I hope you and those planning to use the SPLOST money to find another avenue. There are plenty of other areas for pickle ball courts in PTC.

Lyda Miller

Peachtree City, Ga.

5 COMMENTS

  1. As Mayor Pickleball would say, “we have resources at our fingertips most Peachtree City citizens do not have”. Mayor Pickleball will let all know what she is going to do with the Tennis Center and Pickleball when she feels like it.