National Tennis Center
Strategic Vision Project

NYC Parks, in coordination with USTA National Tennis Center Incorporated (USTA), is seeking a number of discretionary actions in connection with proposed improvements and an expansion to its facilities at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center (NTC). The 42-acre NTC is located within Flushing Meadows Corona Park on parkland leased by NYC Parks to USTA and is one of the world’s largest public recreational tennis facilities. For 11 months of the year, NTC facilities are open to the public for indoor and outdoor tennis. The NTC is also host to the US Open, one of the sport’s four Grand Slam championship tennis tournaments.

The proposed project would improve the NTC site plan, circulation, visitor amenities, and landscaping, and would include construction of two new stadiums to replace the existing Louis Armstrong Stadium in the same location and the Grandstand Stadium in a new location at the southwest corner of the NTC site, possible improvements to Arthur Ashe Stadium, and a temporary stadium on the site of Louis Armstrong Stadium for one US Open tournament during construction. The proposed project would also include modifications to tournament courts and ancillary buildings, the construction of two new parking garages, the relocation of a connector road, and pedestrian enhancements. To accommodate the proposed project, 0.94 acres of land would be added to the NTC site, including 0.68 acres of park land that would be alienated, and 0.26-acres of previously alienated park land that is outside the current lease. Just to the south of the NTC, the relocated connector road and new sidewalks would be built on an approximately 0.3-acre area. Improvements to park features in Flushing Meadows Corona Park would also be provided. The proposed project would enable the USTA to accommodate an extra 10,000 daily spectators during the US Open. If approved, the proposed project is expected to be completed by 2019. In response to comments made during the public review process, the City and USTA have agreed that USTA will surrender a portion of its currently alienated and leased land that is more than double the 0.68 acres of park land that the USTA seeks to lease. The replacement park land totals 1.56 acres, comprising 0.75 acres of landscaped areas and 0.81 acres of space for active recreation containing 5 tennis courts. The NTC would have no control over these parcels, except during the US Open when they may be granted permission to have exclusive use.  The NTC may also seek permission from the Department of Parks and Recreation for use of the tennis courts for other tournaments.

On June 20, 2012, NYC Parks, as lead agency for the CEQR environmental review for the USTA NTC Strategic Vision Project, issued a Positive Declaration for the project and directed that a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) be prepared. At the same time, a Draft Scope of Work for an EIS was issued for public comment. A public scoping meeting was held on July 23, 2012 at the NTC Indoor Training Center at David Dinkins Circle, Flushing Meadows Corona Park, to accept oral and written comments. Written comments on the proposed project’s Scope of Work were accepted through August 8, 2012. The Final Scope of Work for this project’s EIS, including a summary of comments received and responses to those comments, was issued on December 27, 2012.

The Notice of Completion and the DEIS for this project were issued by NYC Parks on January 3, 2013. A Public Hearing  was held on the DEIS in conjunction with the City Planning Commission’s public hearing pursuant to the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP) on Wednesday, April 24, 2013 at 10:00 a.m. at the City Planning Commission, Spector Hall, 22 Reade Street, New York, New York 10007, to accept oral and written comments on the DEIS. Written comments on the DEIS were accepted through May 6, 2013.

A Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) has been prepared.  A Notice of Completion of the FEIS was issued on May 10, 2013. The ULURP application was approved by the City Planning on May 22, 2013.  NYC Parks issued a Statement of Findings on May 31, 2013. 

The project documents are available for public inspection at the following locations:

  • NYC Department of Parks and Recreation, The Arsenal in Central Park and the Al Oerter Recreation Center in Queens
  • USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, Indoor Tennis Center
  • Queens Public Library at the branches in Corona, Jackson Heights, Langston Hughes, Lefrak City, Forest Hills, Flushing, Kew Gardens Hills and Richmond Hill

The documents can also be obtained online at the links below.

Contact person: Colleen Alderson, Director of Parklands, New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, The Arsenal, Central Park, 830 Fifth Avenue, Room 401, New York, New York 10065, Telephone: 212-360-3441, and email colleen.alderson@parks.nyc.gov.

Some of the files below are very large. To decrease download time right-click on the file name and choose Save Link As.