Advantage Virginia
Goal: $8 million
Overview
Established in 2000, Advantage
Virginia is a nonprofit initiative led by Virginia Commonwealth
University and advised by the board of local and national organizations
committed
to making Richmond a tennis capital. By building a first-rate
tennis facility, attracting major tournaments and developing
a youth tennis
academy, Advantage Virginia seeks the following:
| • |
To raise Richmond’s reputation as a world-class
city and promote the greatness of tennis. |
| • |
To increase convention, tourism and hospitality revenue
in the city of Richmond. |
| • |
To invest in Virginia’s youth and support continued
excellence in the sport. |
Tennis is rapidly growing in appeal nationally and
internationally. As an industry, tennis is among the fastest growing
sports in participation,
product sales, television viewership and event attendance. From
the legendary Arthur Ashe to VCU’s
nationally ranked intercollegiate tennis program and the city’s
top-ranked amateurs, Advantage Virginia
believes the city will gain world-class recognition because of
it's tennis affiliation.
Projects
Advantage Virginia has identified three key projects to complete
by 2008:
Establish a youth tennis academy
This world-class facility also will host a youth tennis academy.
Coordinated by VCU Athletics, VCU Community Outreach and the
Richmond community, the academy will use tennis instruction,
tutoring and mentoring
to aid the city’s youth and build teamwork,
sportsmanship and discipline.
Build a top-notch tennis facility
While there are dozens of major tennis tournaments and events
held each year in the United States, there are comparatively
few facilities
in which they are held. Of the indoor-outdoor, year-round tennis
centers, only a handful is of world-class caliber, capable
of attracting the major professional tournaments. Such a facility
in Richmond
would enable the city to routinely host major college tournaments
and to
derive the corresponding economic impact and national publicity.
Attract major tennis tournaments
Advantage Virginia has already succeeded in bringing the popular
Success Magazine Champions TOUR to downtown Richmond. The international
men’s senior tour features some of the most recognized
names in the sport, from John McEnroe and Jimmy Connors to
Bjorn Borg and
Yannick Noah. With a dedicated tennis facility, more prominent
events will be attracted to Richmond.
Contact
For more information about Advantage Virginia, please contact:
Thomas C. Burke
Executive Director of the VCU Foundation
Phone: (804) 828-3958
E-mail: tcburke@vcu.edu
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