GRIFFIN PARK TENNIS COURT UPGRADE COMPLETE

Part of US Open Legacy Initiative in honor of US Open champion Coco Gauff

Griffin Park has eight newly surfaced tennis courts and a professional tennis star to thank for a large chunk of it.

Late last year, the City of Pierre received a grant from the United States Tennis Association (USTA) to resurface the courts in Griffin Park. The grant is part of the US Open Legacy Initiative, which was created in celebration of Coco Gauff's 2023 US Open women's singles title. Today, the Pierre City Commission received confirmation the new surfaces are in and the project is complete.

"We rely on grants and partnerships to maintain and improve our local courts," said Bryan Tipton, City Parks and Recreation Director. "This project wouldn't have happened without support from USTA, the Pierre School District, and the Pierre Tennis Association."

The total project cost was $75,000. USTA provided $28,750. The school district, the city and the Pierre Tennis Association added $22,000, $19,750, and $4,000, respectively.

"Investing in the improvement of tennis facilities, particularly public tennis facilities, is a critical piece of the USTA's mission: Growing tennis to inspire healthier people and communities everywhere," said Lew Sherr, CEO, USTA. "The new US Open Legacy Initiative will ensure that Coco Gauff's 2023 US Open victory will have a meaningful and lasting impact in communities across the country. I can think of no more fitting way to celebrate an American US Open champion than by completing the circle for the good of the game."

"Investing in public parks and our youth is very important," said Gauff. "I strongly believe that tennis can continue to become a more accessible sport, and I would like to thank the USTA for continuing to commit to do so."

The US Open Legacy Initiative is part of the USTA's overall efforts to support tennis infrastructure through facility enhancements and construction, which is led by the USTA's Tennis Venue Services (TVS) department. Since 2005, the USTA has awarded more than $17 million in TVS grants, impacting more than 43,000 tennis courts and more than $610 million of infrastructure development.

In order to ensure that communities have access to safe, appealing and functional tennis environments, grant recipients also receive start-to-finish project management assistance from the USTA's Tennis Venue Services team. It provides industry-leading experience in tennis court and facility design, as well as technical assistance, including construction document review and business development insight, to ensure the facilities can deliver tennis at a high-level. Completed projects will receive a sign commemorating that the courts were refurbished in honor of Gauff's US Open victory.

The USTA is the national governing body for the sport of tennis in the U.S. and the leader in promoting and developing the growth of tennis at every level -- from local communities to the highest level of the professional game. A not-for-profit organization, it invests 100 percent of its proceeds in growing the game. It owns and operates the US Open, one of the highest-attended annual sporting events in the world, along with approximately 100 Pro Circuit events throughout the U.S., and selects the teams for Davis Cup, Billie Jean King Cup, and the Olympic and Paralympic Games. The USTA's philanthropic entity, the USTA Foundation, provides grants and scholarships in addition to supporting tennis and education programs nationwide to benefit under-resourced youth through the National Junior Tennis & Learning (NJTL) network. For more information about the USTA, go to USTA.com or follow the official accounts on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter (X) and TikTok.

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