Plans released for $260M upgrade of Cincinnati Open campus in Mason
May 20—One of the longest running tennis tournaments in the U.S., the Cincinnati Open, is undergoing an extensive, campus-wide renovation planned to improve fan and player experiences prior to the expanded 2025 tournament.
Today, Cincinnati Open officials announced additional facility work planned for the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason ahead of the 2025 tournament.
Officials said the entire campus will be elegantly reimagined, with modern stadium facades and extensive landscaping to create a park-like feel throughout the venue. New fan amenities, courts and player facilities will also be added to increase capacity for the tournament's expansion, officials said.
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The work represents the next stage of the $260 million investment in upgrades that tournament owner Beemok Capital committed to in announcing the intention to keep the Cincinnati Open in its current home for the next 25 years.
"We are ushering in a new era at the Cincinnati Open, and the complete transformation of our campus will create an unparalleled experience for our fans and players," said Bob Moran, president of Beemok Sports & Entertainment. "Our goal is to provide a best-in-class experience to everyone who touches the Cincinnati Open, and these projects, which are made possible through partnerships with the city of Mason, Warren County and the state of Ohio, are the foundation upon which we will build the next chapters of this storied event's history."
Among the improvements is a sleek, continuous facade that will wrap both Center Court and Grandstand Court in the heart of the new-look campus, officials said. To the north, a permanent fan plaza shaded by an expansive canopy will provide a gathering spot for spectators with additional landscaping to create more greenspace and modular opportunities for sponsors. To the south, a brand new, 2,000-seat sunken stadium will be added to the campus, making it the fourth largest of the venue's five permanent stadiums.
Officials said the additional stadium is one of 10 new courts being added to the site to help facilitate the event's growth to feature 96-player ATP and WTA singles fields over more days in 2025. In total, the campus will feature 31 courts, up from the planned 21 for 2024.
A new, 56,000-square-foot, two-story player center will be among the most significant additions to the site. The world-class facility will include lounge and restaurant space for the tournament's players and their support teams, wellness and recovery rooms for the players and locker rooms for coaches. Existing player facilities on the three lowest floors of the Paul Flory Player Center will be renovated to provide additional locker room space and an expanded, state-of-the-art fitness center, officials said.
Other work planned for the campus includes a new, six court indoor facility and the creation of six pickleball and two padel courts on the grounds.
The majority of the work to expand the campus will be to the south and west of the venue's current footprint. Additional parking will be added to the north of the campus and multiple new access points to the parking areas will be created in the coming years.
Expanding the venue was made possible with support from the city of Mason, Warren County and the state of Ohio.
"We are pleased with the progress our partner Beemok Capital is making on our racquet complex and are eager to see the plans unfold for this world-class facility," said Warren County Commissioner David Young.
"The 2024 season is right around the corner, which means fans from across the street to across the globe will get to experience some of the upgrades this year. Preserving this international asset was a huge win for Warren County and its partners, the state of Ohio and the city of Mason," he said. "I am thrilled that we are moving from proposing a plan that would retain the tournament to executing that plan in real time, and I cannot wait to see the final result. I am so glad to see the Cincinnati Open stay right here for at least the next 25 years."
Young said tourism is Warren County's No. 1 industry, accounting for $1.45 billion in economic impact annually.
"We are looking forward to the tournament's full expansion in 2025, which is projected to generate more than $150 million in direct and indirect economic output into the region," he said.
"The city of Mason is proud to be a foundational partner with the Beemok team on this development to retain long-term and grow the tennis tournament, while also creating a vibrant, inclusive sports campus with year-round activities," said Mason Mayor Diana Nelson. "This is a legacy project for Mason and the region, bringing new energy and activity to this walkable entertainment district."
The 2025 site improvement planning is being led by Gensler, a global architecture, design and planning firm, while the construction will be overseen by Barton Malow, officials said.
