Faithful+Gould Manages Upgrades To Billie Jean King National Tennis Center For 2016 US Open

NEW YORK, Sept. 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- As a part of a five-year expansion program at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens, New York, for the USTA National Tennis Center (NTC), the third annual phase in a series of upgrades was completed in time for the 2016 US Open. Faithful+Gould provides owner's representation, project and cost management services to the USTA for the program.

The program, which commenced in 2013, includes a sweeping transformation of the center, with the addition of a retractable roof over Arthur Ashe Stadium, infrastructure upgrades, and construction of new Armstrong and Grandstand stadiums.

"The players' and fans' reactions to the new venues have been incredibly positive and we appreciate of all the support Faithful+Gould gave us in achieving this milestone," said Daniel Zausner, COO USTA National Tennis Center.

The first three annual phases consisted of completing the Arthur Ashe Stadium retractable roof, new Grandstand Stadium and South Campus court replacement. The project was designed by ROSSETTI and built by Hunt Construction Group. The roof was constructed of flexible, translucent PTFE fabric stretched over a steel frame and supported by eight steel columns on deep pile foundations.

Faithful+Gould Senior Vice President Tom Jaske said, "On August 31^st, during the Rafael Nadal and Andreas Seppi match, it began to rain. The match restarted in just seven minutes. This was the first use of the new Arthur Ashe retractable roof during the event. It went off without a hitch, avoiding a lengthy delay."

The South Campus project is also complete. It included ten new replacement tournament courts with additional seating, improved patron circulation, enhanced amenities, including an oyster bar, celebrity-endorsed concession areas, free WiFi connectivity and charging stations throughout the center.

Located in the southwest corner of the center, the 8,125-seat new Grandstand Stadium has been a big hit with fans. This irregular shaped, 16-sided stadium places additional seating within the more frequently shaded spots.  The Grandstand spectator platform also provides views of multiple South Campus courts.

The final phase will include construction of the 14,000-seat Louis Armstrong Stadium, which will begin mid-September 2016 in preparation for the 2018 US Open.

About Faithful+Gould 
Faithful+Gould is a world-leading integrated project and program management consultancy with approximately 600 employees. It is headquartered in New York and is a part of Atkins.

SOURCE Faithful+Gould

Related Links

http://www.fgould.com/usa