Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Louis Armstrong stadium to be torn down and replaced by two smaller stadiums

Louis Armstrong Stadium, which is located at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, was built on a marsh, and is expected to deteriorate within eight years. Some time within the next six to eight years, it will be torn down. In the meantime, $30 million, a tenth of what is needed, has been dedicated to overhauling the entire complex by creating two smaller stadiums where Louis Armstrong Stadium now stands. The Grandstand will also be replaced by a new stadium.

There is a possibility that the new Armstrong Stadium will get a roof, but it is expected that Arthur Ashe Stadium will not get one because its structure cannot support one.

2 comments:

Todd Spiker said...

"There is a possibility that the new Armstrong Stadium will get a roof, but it is expected that Arthur Ashe Stadium will not get one because its structure cannot support one."


Hmmm, that would certainly lead to some controversial scheduling decisions on days when rain is in the forecast. Do you put the bigger names on a smaller court because you're assured of no match interruptions, or take the risk of playing on Ashe? Or, "worse" yet, make the decision to cancel one late match scheduled on a roofed court in order to complete an earlier-scheduled "bigger" match (say, on Labor Day) that had been taking place on an uncovered Ashe?

I hope at least one of those structures carries the name of a female American tennis great.

Diane said...

Oh, a roof on Louis Armstrong would doubtless lead to all manner of sticky situations. Having no roof isn't a good idea, either.

I think that one structure will continue to be Louis Armstrong Stadium, so those in charge will be at liberty to rename the Grandstand.