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LIFETIME TENNIS LAKEVILLE IN LAKEVILLE, MINN., IS ONE OF 12 TENNIS FACILITIES HONORED FOR EXCELLENCE AS A 2014 USTA FACILITY AWARD WINNER

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., July 22, 2014 – The USTA today announced that LifeTime Tennis Lakeville in Lakeville, Minn. is one of 12 winners of its 33rd annual USTA Facility Awards Program, which recognizes excellence in the construction and/or renovation of tennis facilities throughout the country. Representatives from LifeTime Tennis Lakeville will be honored at the USTA Semi-annual Meeting at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in New York City on Aug. 30.

LifeTime Tennis Lakeville is an industry leader in both junior and adult tennis, hosting 22 annual USTA adult tournaments and being one of the first private clubs to paint blended lines on all courts. Just five years old, LifeTime Tennis Lakeville was also named the USTA Northern Member Organization of the Year in 2013.

“The LifeTime Tennis Lakeville has embraced many of our initiatives, including youth tennis utilizing 36- and 60-foot courts, introducing thousands of new players to the sport each year,” said Kurt Kamperman, Chief Executive, Community Tennis, USTA. “It is outstanding tennis facilities like LifeTime Tennis Lakeville that help us grow the game at the grass-roots level, and for that reason and so much more, we are proud to recognize LifeTime Tennis Lakeville for its ongoing impact and contribution to the sport of tennis.”

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To be considered for an award, facilities must be under the jurisdiction of a parks and recreation department, an educational institution, a non-profit corporation, or private or commercially owned and operated facilities that offer both USTA and public programming designed to help grow tennis.

Each of the winning facilities was praised for implementing USTA initiatives like youth tennis utilizing 36’ and 60’ courts.

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Facilities were judged upon the following criteria: overall layout and adaptation to site; excellence of court surface and lights; ease of maintenance; accommodations for players, spectators and press/officials; aesthetics; graphics (including the use of signs and landscaping); amenities such as casual seating for spectators, food services and social areas; and the facilities’ participation in USTA programs.

Nominated facilities were voted upon in the following categories: Public Courts that are either small tennis centers with 2-10 courts or large tennis centers with 11 or more courts; Educational Institutions; and Private Facilities that support the USTA and other “growth of the game” programs open to the public.

All 2014 award winners will receive a wall plaque and an all-weather sign, which can be mounted at the facility.  Certificates of award will be made available to park and recreation departments, schools, and those professionals responsible for the design, construction, and maintenance of the facility. In addition, a one-year complimentary membership to the USTA will be awarded to each winning facility.

The 2014 USTA Facility Awards Program winners are:

Public Courts: Small Tennis Centers (2 to 10 courts)

Claybell Park – Richland, Wash.

Wexford Plantation – Hilton Head, S.C.

Public Courts: Large Tennis Centers (11 or more courts)

Athens-Clarke Tennis Center – Athens, Ga.

Montgomery TennisPlex – Boyds, Md.

Palm Beach Gardens Tennis Center – Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.

Samuell Garden Tennis Center – Dallas

Educational Institution

Culver Academies Indoor Tennis Facility – Culver, Ind.

Private Facilities

Army Navy Country Club – Arlington, Va. (Green Facility)

Broken Sound Club – Boca Raton, Fla.

Indian Wells Tennis Center – Indian Wells, Calif. (Featured Facility)

LifeTime Tennis Lakeville – Lakeville, Minn.

The Salvation Army – Greenville, S.C.

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The USTA is the national governing body for the sport of tennis in the United States and the leader in promoting and developing the growth of tennis at every level, from local communities to the highest level of the professional game.  A not-for-profit organization with more than 750,000 members, it invests 100 percent of its proceeds in growing the game. It owns and operates the US Open, the highest-attended annual sporting event in the world, and launched the Emirates Airline US Open Series, linking nine summer tournaments to the US Open. In addition, it owns approximately 90 Pro Circuit events throughout the U.S. and selects the teams for the Davis Cup, Fed Cup, Olympic and Paralympic Games. The USTA’s national charitable foundation, USTA Serves, provides grants and scholarships and helps underserved youth and people with disabilities. For more information on the USTA, log on to usta.com, “like” the official Facebook page, facebook.com/usta, or follow @usta on Twitter.

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