MEMBERS of the Royal Kings Park Tennis Club have voted in favour of an $18 million redevelopment for the historic club.
MEMBERS of the Royal Kings Park Tennis Club have voted in favour of an $18 million redevelopment for the historic club.
Although the vote at last week’s extraordinary general meeting wasn’t unanimous, the majority of members agreed to a proposal presented by John Alexander from Next Generation. A feasibility study will now be undertaken.
RKPTC president Jim Murphy said the next step for the club was to form a binding agreement with Next Generation.
“That will give Next Generation the confidence they need to negotiate with the Kings Park board in the knowledge that they will get a sub lease from us,” he said.
Mr Murphy believes the future of clubs such as RKPTC depended on their ability to attract new members.
“As things currently stand, the cost of running the club with the current membership, we’d have to charge members about $800 a year and we’d lose our membership, he said.
“Under this proposal the membership is fixed for all the tennis club members.”
Next Generation developed the recreational facility at Memorial Drive in Adelaide and it’s understood the RKPTC proposal would be modelled on this facility.
The proposed facility includes swimming pools, change rooms, a gym and courts for night tennis.
“There’s a world trend towards night tennis,” Mr Murphy said.
Mr Alexander said the only way to perpetuate RKPTC was to embrace the Next Generation concept.
“There are a lot of similarities with Memorial Drive,” he said.
“They are both in parklands, and Memorial Drive also once had a membership that was struggling to pay for the cost of the facility.
“I really feel this club needs this revolution.”
The commitment to a feasibility study might signal the end to what has been a painful period for the club.
Over the past two years RKPTC has narrowly avoided financial collapse and has been forced to levy members to stay afloat.
However, the club has managed to cut operating cost significantly and recently has outsourced the operation of the bar and restaurant to increase revenue.
At this stage members have only agreed to a feasibility plan and both Next Generation and the RKPTC recognise there are a number of challenges on the road ahead to gain support from all parties, including the Kings Park board.