Renderings have been revealed for proposed renovations to Arthur Ashe Stadium in Flushing, Queens. Led by the United States Tennis Association (USTA) and designed by ROSETTI, the $800 million undertaking will modernize the main venue of the US Open Tennis Championships and introduce the new Player Performance Center. The project will be entirely self funded by the USTA. The stadium is located within the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, which is bounded by Meridian Road to the north and west and Flushing Meadows Corona Park to the south and east.
The renderings in the main photo and below highlight the striking new entrance. Designed in collaboration with architect Daniel Libeskind, the portal will feature a swirling metallic structure surrounding the entry gates as well as a promenade overlooking the complex. Visible to the left of Arthur Ashe Stadium in the main rendering is the new $250 million Player Performance Center, which will contain indoor and outdoor training and relaxation spaces for nearly 2,800 players and members of their teams.
Aerial view of the grand entrance for Arthur Ashe Stadium. Rendering courtesy of USTA.
The view from the grand entrance to Arthur Ashe Stadium. Rendering courtesy of USTA.
Renovations to the stadium will add two new dedicated suite levels and 2,000 more seats to the courtside-level bowl by way of an upward extension, increasing the lower seating capacity to 5,000. The project will also add a new club and restaurant area designed in a joint effort with Garrett Singer, providing enhanced dining options and premium hospitality spaces.
Accessibility upgrades include a 40-percent increase in the size of the promenade-level concourse, newly designed retail stores and food and beverage spaces, increased access to restrooms on all concourses, and additional escalators and elevators to all levels.
Arthur Ashe Stadium. Rendering courtesy of USTA.
The following renderings offer a closer look at the four-story Player Performance Center, which will sit on the west side of Arthur Ashe Stadium adjacent to practice courts 4, 5, and 6. The facility will include indoor and outdoor fitness and warmup areas, turf space, track and US Open court surfaces for training, expansive locker rooms and lounges, and a dining area and players-only cafe. The new Player Performance Center is planned to be fully completed by the 2027 US Open.
Looking north at The Player Performance Center. Rendering courtesy of USTA.
Inside the Player Performance Center. Rendering courtesy of USTA.
The renovations will be carried out in three phases to avoid interruptions to play and fan access for the 2025-2026 events. Phase one, in advance of the 2025 US Open, will include structural reinforcements to Arthur Ashe Stadium, the start of work on the Player Performance Center, and other behind-the-scenes activity.
Phase two will take place between the 2025-2026 tournaments and will include the renovations to Arthur Ashe Stadium’s courtside and suite levels, as well as the completion of the Player Performance Center’s superstructure. Phase three will occur between the 2026-2027 events and involves the construction of Arthur Ashe Stadium’s new grand entrance, the new loge and promenade levels, and enhancements to the concourse levels. The accessibility improvements, including the new elevators and escalator systems, will be installed at this time.
New York City benefits from more than $1.2 billion in annual economic activity from the three-week US Open. The USTA has invested nearly $2 billion into the US Open and its home facility without using any public, taxpayer, or government funding. The last major transformation took place in 2018.
The nearest subway from the complex is the 7 train at the Mets-Willets Point station to the north above Roosevelt Avenue. The Long Island Rail Road also serves the facility.
The 2025 US Open will begin on Sunday August, 24 and run through Sunday, September 7.
Subscribe to YIMBY’s daily e-mail
Follow YIMBYgram for real-time photo updates
Like YIMBY on Facebook
Follow YIMBY’s Twitter for the latest in YIMBYnews
Terrific, but since USTA is apparently printing money, it would be great to see some $$$ making it’s way to improving the NYC Parkland surrounding the Tennis facility. Not the entire park, but at least a zone surrounding the tennis facility. Apparently all revenues that make their way to NYC coffers go into a general fund, so Flushing Meadow Corona Park gets a miniscule (if any) benefit. But there’s definitely a need for Park improvement. You would think USTA would be insisting on such, from NYC govt.
didnt they literally just rennovate and expand this less than 10 years ago?
That was my first reaction!
So they’ve increased the expensive seating, will build a new facility for the players, and put a new facade on the Ashe entrance to gain some flashy attention for the event. What about $800 million goes to enhance the attendees’ experience in the already overcrowded, oversold event?
It’s one of the worst tennis venues in the world… I would just knock it down and build a classic venue.
Agree
The Tennis Center never really thought out its long-term plans. They belatedly decided they needed a roofed main stadium because of rain delays. The current roof is upheld by a awkward metal addition. The neighboring Louis Armstrong Stadium was rebuilt in 2018, this time with a roof. Perhaps someday they might be able to afford clothes for the nude Arthur Ashe statue.
The worst part of the tennis experience is walking on the very uneven boardwalk over the train yard from the #7 station to the park. This is obviously out of the jurisdiction of the tennis people, but needs to be addressed. I see the walkway is shown with a new roof in the background of the rendering. The #7 station could stand a rebuilding as well.
I’ve seen people trip and fall on the uneven boardwalk while walking to the US Open. It’s unbelievable it still hasn’t been fixed.
Looks like a couple of million job.
Between Citi Field, the new soccer stadium and the possible Casino, and Arthur Ashe. They should be able to replace the entire boardwalk and generally improve the area.
The walkway needs to be rebuilt in concrete. The current steel supports would not support this. Indeed, some of the columns have subsided into the landfill of the former swamp. This also happened on the #7 line east of the station where several columns had to be replaced.
It is simply impossible to believe that these works need to be done with an investment of 800 million USD!
Move the US Open back to Forest Hills!
The MTA, LIRR & NYC Parks Department need to repair the boardwalk it’s a disgrace.
Say good-bye to the $30 hamburger and hello $65, oh w/cheese+$5–Yummy
It’s tennis for glory be