Greenburgh calls for indoor tennis center proposals

The town of Greenburgh issued a call for proposals July 10 to develop an indoor tennis facility at the Anthony F. Veteran Park Tennis Complex in Ardsley.

Town officials are seeking to enter into a 15-year lease for the development and management of a tennis bubble facility and a new clubhouse that would allow for year-round use, as well as for renovations to the outdoor tennis courts and other portions of the park at 11 Olympic Lane.

The request for proposals (RFP) comes after the New York state Assembly and Senate on June 21 approved legislation allowing the town to lease the tennis courts to a private company for a period of up to 30 years.

Democrat Andrea Stewart-Cousins of Yonkers sponsored the Senate bill, while Democrat Thomas Abinanti of Greenburgh sponsored the Assembly bill.

Greenburgh Supervisor Paul Feiner said in an email to town residents that the lease could generate $3 million to the town over the course of the agreement, with upgrades to the park coming at no cost to residents.

“The legislation ”¦ enables the town to increase recreation opportunities for our residents, to generate significant revenue for the town from a private tennis court operator and to improve the infrastructure of our tennis courts at no cost to the taxpayers,” Feiner stated.

The RFP has been posted on the town website. The town will hold an applicant meeting and site tour Aug. 1, with proposals due Aug. 14.

The tennis complex currently comprises 19 lighted tennis courts. The proposal calls for a bubble covering at least nine courts, with at least four of those having Har-Tru, or clay, surfaces or other soft surfaces.

In addition, any developer would be required to resurface the remaining indoor courts, the existing basketball court and one handball court and to provide drainage and other infrastructure improvements around the courts.

The clubhouse is to include public restrooms, locker rooms, a reception area and possibly a pro shop.

The developer selected by the town would be required to maintain and operate the indoor tennis facility from Labor Day to Memorial Day, including supplying any machinery, equipment and staff, and will be required to provide access for youth programming and tennis activities for people with disabilities.

Applicants should anticipate making a significant capital investment in the facility, the RFP states.