BRYAN, Texas (KBTX) – The proposed indoor tennis complex in Bryan’s Midtown Park, intended for the use of the Texas A&M men’s and women’s tennis squads, has been halted, as stated in a termination agreement included in the city council’s meeting agenda on Tuesday. Previous report: City of Bryan approves indoor facility for Texas A&M […]
BRYAN, Texas (KBTX) – The proposed indoor tennis complex in Bryan’s Midtown Park, intended for the use of the Texas A&M men’s and women’s tennis squads, has been halted, as stated in a termination agreement included in the city council’s meeting agenda on Tuesday.
Previous report: City of Bryan approves indoor facility for Texas A&M Tennis
The plans will be officially rescinded following a council vote during the meeting scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Bryan Municipal Building.
Reasons cited for stopping the initiative included rising and considerable construction expenses, a change in the project’s location, and a lengthy design phase.
The decision to terminate the plan was mutually decided by the City of Bryan and the Texas A&M University System, as per the document. Both entities will share the $851,943 that has already been spent on the project.
The absence of an indoor facility prevents A&M from hosting any regular season matches indoors, in addition to conference or NCAA tournaments. Furthermore, A&M will not be able to host any outdoor NCAA Tournament match without an indoor facility as a backup during bad weather.
A&M stands as the only tennis program in the SEC without an indoor venue. However, Missouri’s indoor facility offers only four courts and is not suitable for official matches.
“We want to express our gratitude to Bryan officials for comprehending the situation and look forward to ongoing collaboration,” stated Susan Ballabina, chief of staff to A&M president Mark Welsh, in a statement given to KBTX. “Texas A&M University is dedicated to strategically managing its financial resources to better assist student-athletes in innovative and evolving ways. As the realm of collegiate athletics transforms with an increasing focus on Name, Image & Likeness (NIL) opportunities, we acknowledge the necessity to adapt to these new difficulties. Like the City of Bryan, we too are disappointed that this initiative will not be progressing.”
According to an open records request made to the university, A&M athletes earned $19.4 million in NIL agreements from July 1, 2023 to July 1, 2024.
Last spring, the Aggie women’s tennis team captured a national championship at Oklahoma State’s Greenwood Tennis Center. A&M hosts its outdoor matches at the Mitchell Tennis Center, which is valued at approximately $4.2 million and opened in October 1998.
“We are hopeful that we will eventually secure our own facility,” commented women’s head coach Mark Weaver to KBTX. “When that will happen, I can’t say.”
The initial proposal for the Interlocal Agreement for a Multipurpose Facility was sanctioned by the Bryan City Council in October 2023, encompassing a $17 million budget and a two-year timeline. Most of the funding was expected to come from A&M, Bryan’s Mayor Bobby Gutierrez indicated to KBTX at that time.
“We will generally maximize our usage out of it, and A&M will be largely responsible for the construction costs,” Mayor Gutierrez added. “Thus, the citizens of Bryan and Brazos County will benefit significantly from it, as they are essentially engaging us as a corporate partner.”
KBTX sports director Tyler Shaw contributed to this report.
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