Faced with the impending departure

of amphitheater director Kristi Rapson, the Peachtree City Development

Authority has decided to change its management structure.

The authority, which also manages

the tennis center, has decided to hire an executive director to oversee

both operations. And at its regular meeting Monday night, the authority

voted to hire tennis center director Virgil Christian as its executive

director.

The authority also announced

that it intends for Donna Romeo, an assistant at the amphitheater, and

Sean Ferreira, head professional at the tennis center, to be charged with

the day-to-day operations of those facilities. Those plans will be finalized

in the following weeks, noted authority chairman Tom Farr.

The move will allow the authority

to concentrate more on economic development, Farr said. It will also allow

for some cost savings, he noted.

"The tremendous growth

and success of both projects has created the need for more executive oversight

than the management committees of a volunteer board can provide,"

Farr said. "Virgil has demonstrated that he can manage people, develop

and implement programs, market effectively and do this in a professional

and personable manner. We believe that these are leadership traits that

will insure the continued success of our projects."

Farr said the appointment of

Christian will not change the direction of the amphitheater or tennis

center. Specifically, the authority wants to continue the high quality

of the performances of the amphitheater and the continued success of the

tennis programs, Farr said.

"Our intent is to keep

the successful teams at both the amphitheater and tennis center together."

Christian, who will assume

duties as executive director Dec. 1, has been connected with the tennis

center since its inception. Prior to that, he was the director of tennis

at the University of Pennsylvania after becoming the youngest Division

I head coach in the country.

Christian is currently managing

the third and final phase of the tennis center expansion, which will add

six additional covered courts along with a new clubhouse, administrative

space and a new pro shop.

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