New York (March 3) – On April 9, New York Junior Tennis & Learning (NYJTL) will mark the official completion of the $26.5 million Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning in the Bronx with the dedication of two stadium courts seating nearly 800 spectators and the Dalia and Larry Leeds Viewing Bridge.
Both the Victor Kiam Stadium Court and the Pershing Square Stadium Court feature permanent seating with the Dalia and Larry Leeds Viewing Bridge providing excellent sightlines.
“NYJTL’s Cary Leeds Center, located in Crotona Park within walking distance of 30,000 children, is a reality thanks to a unique public-partnership with the City of New York and the Department of Parks and Recreation,” said NYJTL President and CEO, George Guimaraes.
“NYJTL’s vision is to enable youth to grow with the game”, said NYJTL chairman Martin Goldberg.
With 22 tennis courts, including 10 covered in the winter season, and a community center with classrooms, locker rooms and meeting space, the Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning offers the community 6,000 hours of free tennis as well as year-round educational and health and wellness programs.
“Thanks to the generosity of all of our donors, NYJTL has created a landmark in the heart of the Bronx, said NYJTL co-founder Skip Hartman. “For nearly 40 years NYJTL operated on outdoor courts. This facility is beyond what we could ever have envisioned.”
From 1995-2012, NYJTL promoted the Emblem Health Bronx Open USTA Pro Circuit professional tournament featuring top world-ranked professionals competing as part of the pre-US Open summer tour. During construction of the Cary Leeds Center, the tournament was suspended.
“We are pleased to announce that NYJTL is in discussions with the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) to host a pre-US Open tournament beginning in 2019,” said Goldberg. “We look forward to bringing back top professional competition to our world-class facility. “
Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr., former New York City Mayor David Dinkins, and tennis and sports icon Billie Jean King will attend the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
“The collective impact of the donations by the Victor Kiam Family, the Ackman Family, and the Leeds Family cannot be understated,” said Guimaraes. “These contributions offer life-changing opportunities to the South Bronx community.”
About New York Junior Tennis & Learning
NYJTL was founded in 1971 (then, as New York Junior Tennis League) by Arthur Ashe and Chairman Emeritus Lewis “Skip” Hartman. NYJTL’s mission is to develop the character of young people through tennis and education for a lifetime of success on and off the court. Through tennis, academic enrichment, healthy living, and character development programs, NYJTL teaches life skills to 75,000 underserved youth throughout all of New York City. The experience and culture of tennis, along with academic support services, have helped hundreds of thousands of young people improve their performance in school and raise their aspirations, inspiring success both on and off the court.
Learn more at www.nyjtl.org
For additional information you may contact Joe Ceriello at jceriello@nyjtl.org