A sports-themed grill is coming

to the Peachtree City Tennis Center.

Ashland Grill at Court 11 will

be operated by the owners of the Valentino's restaurant in Peachtree City.

The 3,000 sq. ft. space will feature sports memorabilia and some outdoor

seating that will overlook courts 12 and 13, said Virgil Christian, executive

director of the Development Authority of Peachtree City, which operates

the facility.

The "Court 11" name

comes from the designation for the center's first-ever court, which residents

were allowed to play on while the rest of the center's first phase was

completed, Christian said.

The restaurant and a pro shop

will be on the top level of a new building that's part of the center's

expansion project.

The downstairs area will house

tennis center and Development Authority offices as well as college courses

from Clayton College & State University.

The entire project, which includes

six covered courts for use in inclement weather, should be ready by early

June, Christian said.

Although the lease agreement

for the restaurant has not yet been signed with Valentino's representatives,

the funds from that lease will help build out the restaurant, Christian

told the Development Authority at its regular meeting Monday night.

Valentino's was the only company

Christian contacted that was interested in operating a restaurant at the

tennis center, he noted.

"It takes a lot of vision,"

Christian said. "Really, they're taking a chance, but I think it

will prove successful for everyone. And it adds such a neat value for

us."

Authority member Doug Warner,

an attorney who represents the Airport Authority, noted that they have

been trying to attract a restaurant to Falcon Field for years without

success.

The expansion project has been

hampered somewhat by extras that needed to be added on such as another

fire hydrant and a new electrical transformer.

The project was initially tabbed

to cost $3.1 million but the price was pared down to $2.5 million. Christian

said although the final numbers will be close, it will still come under

budget.

A number of corporations have

come to the project's aid, specifically Cooper Lighting of Peachtree City,

which dedicated one of its engineers to the project, Christian added.

"Cooper Lighting is going

to save the day," Christian said. Tennis companies adidas and Wilson

have also helped out on the project, and Coca-Cola is expected to pitch

in soon, Christian noted.

Efforts have been made to make

sure that corners are cut which won't detract from the overall project,

Christian added.

"We'll deliver an unbelievable

project once it's all done," he said.

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