Advantage: Abilene, as City Selected to Host USTA Grand Slam Section Championships

The  Abilene  Tennis  Association,  the  Abilene  Convention  and  Visitors  Bureau  and  the  Abilene  Sports  Alliance  have  partnered  to  play  host  to  the  CHAMPIONSHIP  MASTERS  (12s),  CHAMPIONSHIP  MASTERS  (14s–18s) and the GRAND SLAM SECTION CHAMPIONSHIPS for three years. This nine-day tennis tournament will be held June 9-17 in 2017 and will bring approximately 1,100 Championship and Super Championship players (12U, 14U, 16U and 18U) from across the state of Texas to Abilene. Not only will these superstars take to the courts, but their friends and families will join them to converge in Abilene to show support for their champions.

Abilene  will  host  the  greatest  junior  tennis  players  in  the  state  and  the  real  advantage  to  Abilene  is  the  economic  impact  this  tournament  will  bring  to  the  city.  The  ACVB  estimates  attendance  of  2,700  with  players,  parents  and  officials  during  the  beginning  of  the  week  and  290  by  the  week’s end  as  players  who  are  eliminated  will  gradually  leave.  The economic impact of this tournament is estimated at $1.8 million per year, with a total impact of $5.5 million over  three  years.  This  is  one  of  the  nation’s  largest  tennis  tournaments  and  one  of  the  largest  events,  in  terms  of  economic impact, for Abilene.

“The enthusiast support of the Abilene Tennis Association made this bid possible,” Debi Schultz, Director of Sales for the ACVB. “Without their support, we could not have submitted such a strong and dynamic proposal. The ACVB was up against several impressive cities and metropolitan areas. Winning such a huge bid like this speaks to the community of Abilene, the support our residents have for visitors and the strong sense of southern hospitality.”

“It will be fun to showcase what a family friendly town Abilene is and how strong the sport of tennis is in our community...and always has been as we host the country’s largest junior tennis tournament,” Rick Meyers President of Abilene Tennis Association and Tennis Professional said.

USTA Texas is headquartered in Austin and is a nonprofit volunteer organization committed to promoting the game of tennis by offering quality recreational and competitive programs for people of all ages, abilities, circumstances, and lifestyles. Their youth model features an accessible pathway of tennis which includes programs and tournaments that provide social, health, and psychological benefits for children. Their junior department staff works with individual players, organizations, and communities to develop and promote the lifetime sport of tennis throughout the great state of Texas. Abilene is proud to host the Grand Slam Section Championships for this organization the next three years.