PRESS RELEASE | from 09.11.09
Baton Rouge receives Honorable Mention in USTA's 2009 Best Tennis Town Contest
Baton Rouge, LA - Sept. 11, 2009 -- Baton Rouge is being awarded Honorable Mention in United States Tennis Association's (USTA) 2009 Best Tennis Town contest. The city was also selected as one of 10 finalists in the national contest.
The USTA asked cities around America if their city has what it takes to be the Best Tennis Town. Cities submitted videos highlighting their community's passion and spirit for tennis. USTA members were encouraged to cast their votes online at besttennistown.com and were tallied after July 26. The winning city - Midland, Mich. -- received a Best Tennis Town trophy and $100,000 to be used towards community wide programming or facility enhancements that the winning entrants endorsed, as approved by the USTA.
"Baton Rouge has had 13 events in the last three years resulting in over $6 million in economic impact" states Jerry Stovall, President of Baton Rouge Area Sports Foundation. Baton Rouge has hosted the Baton Rouge Pro Classic event at the Lamar YMCA as well as Duel Under the Oaks which featured former No. player Pete Sampras in an exhibition sponsored by the Pennington Foundation to aid in hurricane relief.
Jointly, the Greater Baton Rouge CTA and BREC put together an outstanding video submission of why Baton Rouge is truly the Best Tennis Town. Baton Rouge's video submission include interviews from Jerry Stovall, President of the Baton Rouge Area Sports Foundation; Tony Minnis, LSU Head Woman's Tennis Coach, Jeff Brown, LSU Head Men's Tennis Coach; Jeff Conyers, SU Head Woman's Tennis Coach; Ojo Thompson, BREC Tennis Development Manager; John Wahlborg, YMCA Director of Tennis and Whitney Vann, WBRZ News Anchor. Letters of recommendation were submitted by local Baton Rouge businesses, Community members and Baton Rouge's Mayor-President Melvin "Kip" Holden. The video of Baton Rouge's submission can be viewed at www.besttennistown.com.
Michael McNulty, III, Executive Vice-President of USTA Southern will present Baton Rouge with a 2009 Best Tennis Town Honorable Mention plaque and $2,000 available for tennis equipment on Thursday,Sept 17 at 11:00 a.m. The presentation will be held at the BREC Administration Building located at 6201 Florida Blvd in Baton Rouge, LA.
Congratulations Baton Rouge for making tennis in Baton Rouge a "Sport of a Lifetime!"
For more information about the types of programs and services offered by USTA Louisiana, visit www.louisianatennis.com.
