Inside Tennis has learned that the USTA NorCal will uproot its longtime Alameda headquarters at 1350 South Loop Road. According to USTA NorCal President Marjorie Peterman, pending final legalities, architectural upgrades and some construction, the section will move into a new Alameda location on North Loop Road in February 2010.
The shift comes after much speculation and controversy. Word of a move began to circulate in the fall of “06, when USTA NorCal leaders first considered relocating to the Central Valley. An 80-acre park in the tiny town of Ripon (population 13,900) along Route 99 quickly emerged as a cost-efficient alternative to the section”s East Bay digs. Ripon”s City Council even went so far as to launch a study that looked casino into the viability of a new USTA HQ and an adjoining 15- to 25-court facility. But not everybody was pleased with the change of venue.
And just as quickly as the proposed plan surfaced, it disappeared. Other alternatives, including a Pleasanton site, were considered during an extensive search process and there were numerous discussions at the Board level.
Now it appears the move is on again. Only this time the organization – which was founded in 1953 and claims some 44,000 members – is staying in somewhat centrally located (at least for Bay Area residents) Alameda.
