The Peachtree

City Tennis Center has signed a two-year contract to host the National

Association of Intercollegiate Athletics' national championship tournament

beginning in May.

The event,

which will bring 48 small-college teams to the area for competition, is

scheduled this year for May 13-17.

Virgil Christian,

the executive director of the Peachtree City Development Authority which

operates the tennis center said the event will be one of the biggest tournaments

undertaken by the center.

"We're

pretty flattered," Christian said, noting that the first two days

of the tournament will be hosted at tennis courts in south Fulton County.

"It's going to be quite an event. It's one of the biggest things

we've ever done."

Lori Heeter,

championship events administrator for the NAIA, said she felt very comfortable

that Peachtree City would be able to meet the tournament's needs. She

said it also helped that Christian is a former tennis coach and understands

how to meet those needs.

"We were

looking for the best experience for our student athletes, and the city's

great," Heeter said, referring to her visit to Peachtree City. "They

seemed to be very organized and we have a good working relationship. ...

We are very excited."

The tournament

has been held the past two years in Lexington, Ky.

The economic

impact of the tournament is expected to reach at least $1.5 million, Christian

said. The Wyndham Peachtree Conference Center will serve as the host for

the tournament.

The tennis

center will "break even" on the tournament, but the real winners

will be local hotels and motels who will host the 500 players and coaches

in addition to whatever spectators and others come to stay in Peachtree

City, Christian noted.

Revenues from

the city's hotel-motel tax are used to fund the tennis center, in addition

to the Frederick Brown Jr. Amphitheater and Falcon Field.

Attracting

major college tournaments has been a goal of the tennis center now that

construction of six covered courts is underway. Construction is not expected

to be complete by the time for this year's NAIA tournament, and NAIA officials

understood that but still decided to come to Peachtree City, Christian

added.

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