80.0°,
Partly Cloudy Major tennis tournament coming to town
Hempstead Lake State Park will host 60,000 fans over course of eight-day event
Next year, the best female tennis players in the world will compete in Rockville Centre.
The Women’s Tennis Association has announced that it will hold a tournament in Hempstead Lake State Park May 7-15, 2016. It will be the only WTA tournament in the country to be played on red clay, and the only one on Long Island.
To kick off the event, the WTA held a party at Kasey’s Kitchen and Cocktails last week, giving fans a chance to mingle with some of their favorite tennis stars and offering details about the tournament. Ticket sales from the event at Kasey’s benefited the Wounded Warrior Project.
“The prospect of putting on an event of this quality within a demographic that has over 10 million residents ... is exciting, to say the least,” said tournament Director Tony Driscoll. “One of the most attractive elements is the number of casual and recreational tennis fans that we can bring into the fold, enhancing both their involvement in, and enjoyment of, the sport we all love so much. Both coaches and players are looking forward to playing in New York and providing our fans and patrons with the ultimate tennis experience.”
Driscoll added that, in addition to all the fans nearby, the area was selected because two of the tournament’s principles are from Rockville Centre.
The tournament, the Empire State Open, will be a lead-in to the French Open, which will begin on May 22. Though it’s unknown yet exactly who will be competing, Driscoll said he expects top players in the draw.
The WTA plans to build a 3,500-seat stadium at Hempstead Lake State Park. The stands will include flip-up seats and bench seats, as well as premium VIP seating.
There will also be a 1,200-seat second stadium, and outer and practice courts.
The WTA hopes to draw a crowd of 60,000 or more over the course of the tournament. To help accommodate spectators, shuttles will run from the Rockville Centre and Lynbrook Long Island Rail Road stations to and from the park.
The WTA has rented offices on Sunrise Highway, and is looking for volunteers to help with the event. Those interested can sign up at www.empirestateopen.com.
Tickets for the tournament are expected to go on sale in late October or early November.
