Ed Fondiller”™s vision for the forlorn Kaatsbaan Lodge he bought in Saugerties 15 years ago was an adult tennis camp  that would truly be a getaway for avid racqueteers.
“The place was pretty much in disrepair when I bought it,” said Fondiller, who invested close to $2 million  in renovations. He rechristened the lodge as Total Tennis.
The first thing Fondiller did after he bought the camp was to add a five-court indoor tennis building, taking weather out of the equation. Total Tennis is exactly that: an all-season adult tennis players”™ getaway nestled in the Hudson Valley.
“In this area, not having the ability to maintain a four-season attraction just doesn”™t make financial sense,” said Fondiller. “There are many indoor courts in Manhattan, so this is a great alternative for tennis players who are serious about their game, but looking for a quiet place to relax as well.”
Despite the Crash, which saw business fall 10 percent in 2009, Fondiller says Total Tennis is back to its original number of guests. “We have many regulars and a lot of word-of-mouth referrals. The Internet also contributes to our business. We invested in a good website that draws people from all over because we are an all-season resort.”
Total Tennis offers 11 red-clay courts, seven all-weather courts and two synthetic grass courts, as well as a small stadium for events. The arts-and-crafts style lodge and cottages can accommodate up to 50 guests. None of the rooms has television; a few have telephones. “It was no mistake,” said Fondiller. “I planned it that way.
“Now that everyone has a cell phone, there”™s really no need to have a phone in the room, anyway. When cell phones weren”™t in vogue as they are now, we did have a few rooms with phones if people absolutely needed one. We do have a TV room. My vision for Total Tennis was to focus on the sport and give guests a real break from daily stress. We offer Wi-Fi in the lounge area, so guests can bring their laptops. We are so inundated with technology, my guests say they are glad to get away from it for a day or two ”“ to just play tennis and relax.” A day spa offering massages for those aching muscles and an outside pool offer relaxation after a day on the courts.
Fondiller, like every business owner, is carefully watching his bottom line. In 2008, he learned the state”™s Energy and Research Development Authority (NYSERDA) was offering a rebate to those who would install solar arrays or rooftop panels to offset the cost of electricity and help put power back into the grid. “I was pleasantly surprised at the generous rebate, which came to 40 percent of the project”™s cost, if I used one of their approved contractors.”
After hiring Solar Generation in Woodstock, construction of an array of 468 photovoltaic panels was started in an open field about 1,500 feet behind the main lodge. The total project cost was $786,000, but armed with a rebate of $350,000 from NYSERDA, Fondiller was approved by JPMorgan Chase for two loans in the amount of $441,000 to pay for the rest of the installation.
ARRA (American Recovery and Reinvestment Act) funding from the Department of  Treasury after the Crash of 2008 was truly a blessing, said Fondiller, who learned about it through his solar installer.
“It basically offered people who did any kind of energy-saving installation a 30 percent rebate in lieu of tax credit, which translated to $238,000 for us,” said Fondiller. One major caveat: after submitting his initial application, Fondiller had to wait till Total Tennis was on line and approved by Central Hudson before he submitted the final  request for the credit. “There was no guarantee you would receive it, but there was no harm in applying,” said Fondiller.
To his delight, he was approved within a week after he submitted his final paperwork. “The next week, I received a direct deposit for $238,000, which significantly helped pay down the two loans. I”™m already seeing a 30 percent savings in the yearly bill,” said Fondiller. “And I expect when the loans are paid off within the next seven years, Total Tennis will realize a savings of $54,000 a year.”
Despite the recession, Fondiller said good timing and a good contractor made the money-saving solar array a reality. “It allows us the ability to generate 120,000 kilowatt hours of power in a year,” said Fondiller.
Fondiller negotiated with local farmer to provide fresh vegetables for Total Tennis”™ Â guests from May through December, as well as farm-fresh eggs. “Our guest package includes three meals a day, so we can offer a delicious menu with foods directly from a local farm. We”™re striving to stay local and reduce our carbon footprint. Every little bit helps.”
Ed Fondiller is a finalist for “Greenest New Yorker of the Year” from the “I Love New York” program. “Whether I win or not, we”™ve got a winner here with our solar array,” said Fondiller. “It”™s helped cut expenses, thanks to help from the state and federal government. We”™re cutting back on our carbon footprint and putting energy back into the grid. To me, that”™s a win all for all of us.”
