By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Monday, May 19, 2025
Photo credit: USTA
Arthur Ashe Stadium is undergoing a major makeover.
The largest Grand Slam stadium in the sport will be rennovated as part of an $800 million project that will transform the US Open landscape, the USTA announced today.
The USTA says the self-funded $800 million project will include a new state-of-the-art player training center.
The transformation will develop over three phases and be completed by the 2027 US Open, “without interrupting play or fan access for the 2025-26 events,” the USTA said.
“The US Open is the pinnacle of sports and entertainment, with the greatest athletes and fans in all of sport, and this reimagination of Arthur Ashe Stadium and construction of a state-of-the-art Player Performance Center will enhance the experience for everyone that comes on site to the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center,” said Lew Sherr, CEO and Executive Director, USTA. “This project enables us to maintain the greatest stage in tennis—Arthur Ashe Stadium—which was constructed more than 25 years ago, and modernize it in a way that will set it up for the next 25 years.
“It also provides us the opportunity to give the players that compete in that stadium an unparalleled space that will enable them to perform at their best and enjoy a higher level of luxury and comfort while they are off the court,” Sherr added. “The US Open helps us to deliver on our mission—growing tennis to build healthier people and communities everywhere—by showcasing our sport on the global stage, and this reimagination will bring this presentation to an entirely new level.”
One of the criticisms US Open fans have had of Arthur Ashe Stadium is that it was simply built too big for tennis. Fans at the very top of Ashe have sometimes resorted to watching rallies on the giant video screen as the ball can look as big as a tic tac to the naked eye from up high in Ashe.
While the renovation likely won’t bring upper-deck fans closer to the action, the 2,000 new seats in the courtside ball the US Open will install will surely bring in millions in revenue over the course of the now 15-day tournament. Remember, the USTA announced their will be a first-ever Sunday start for the 2025 US Open, which represents another new revenue stream. On the flip side, given the USTA is self-funding the project, you can argue they need to generate more revenue from somewhere to cover the cost of the $800 million tab.
The question remains: When it comes to tennis is bigger necessarily better?
Is it good for the sport and the fans to see tennis in a near 30,000-seat venue or is it so vast it furthers the divide between athlete and audience?
The answer, in this case, is the more lower-level seating and luxury boxes you can create, the more money you can generate from the tennis ATM machine that is the US Open. Remember, they’ve already figured out how to work a third week into what was a two-week major moving mixed doubles to fan week.
Here is the statement from today’s USTA press release:
Reimagined Arthur Ashe Stadium, Modernized and Enhanced at All Levels
The project will comprehensively enhance and modernize the US Open’s centerpiece, Arthur Ashe Stadium, elevating the experience for all fans inside tennis’ grandest stage. The enhancements include:
*A brand-new, visually striking Grand Entrance befitting the grandest stage in all of tennis.
*A 40-percent increase to the promenade-level concourse, adding significantly more open space for fans at the promenade and loge levels.
*Completely modernized concourses, with all-newly designed retail experiences and food and beverage spaces.
*Significantly increased access to restrooms on all concourses, and more escalators and elevators to all levels.
*An upward extension of the courtside-level bowl with 2,000 new seats, expanding the courtside experience from 3,000 to 5,000 seats.
*All-new club and restaurant areas, with enhanced dining options and premium hospitality spaces. Two new dedicated luxury suite levels.
*The spectator-facing elements of the Arthur Ashe Stadium reimagination will take place in advance of the 2026 and 2027 US Opens, with the full timeline specified later in this release.
State-of-the-Art, $250-Million Player Performance Center to Provide Unparalleled Support
Close to 2,800 players and members of their teams converge on the US Open each year to put on one of the greatest shows in sports.
This reimagination will build them a new, $250 million home that provides today’s and tomorrow’s top athletes best-in-class amenities, with both indoor and outdoor performance and relaxation spaces to give them everything they need to maximize their on-court performance.
The two-story, state-of-the-art facility will be built on the top two floors of a four-floor building on the west side of Arthur Ashe Stadium, adjacent to the practice courts. It will include: New and expanded indoor and outdoor fitness and warmup areas, featuring turf, track and US Open court surfaces for training.
Redesigned and expansive locker rooms and lounges, providing players a spa-like experience.
Upsized indoor player dining and an all-new outdoor player courtyard, as well as a new, dedicated cafe accessible only by players.
Dedicated player entranceway, welcoming the best athletes on the planet to the biggest stage in tennis.
The new Player Performance Center will be fully completed and accessible for players and teams by the 2027 US Open
