Council creates Greater Cincinnati Tennis Community Authority, appoints initial trustees

The Mason City Council adopted an ordinance on July 14 creating the Greater Cincinnati Tennis Community Authority under Ohio Revised Code Section 349.03 and appointed initial trustees to the authority’s board. The ordinance includes an emergency clause to place the authority into effect before this year’s tournament.

Council members said the authority is a financing and maintenance tool for the tennis campus that will allow the collection of fees on ticket sales, admissions, parking and merchandise to support maintenance of the publicly owned facility. City Manager Eric (last name not specified in the record) described the authority as “a public entity” that can provide services such as recreation and maintenance and can collect fees similar to taxes to support the campus.

The ordinance names initial board members as Joe Regalsberger, Jennifer Heff, Commissioner Dave Young, Phil Smith, Ford Perry (BMO), Bob Moran (BMO) and Mike Hanson as a joint appointment between the city and the Warren County Port Authority. Council took the measure up under suspension of the rule and then adopted it by roll call vote; all members present voted in favor.

Why it matters: City staff described the new community authority as “a tool” that will let tournament owners generate revenue tied to activity on the tennis campus and use those revenues to maintain the facility without changing the city’s general tax structure. The ordinance also fulfills earlier commitments the city made with the Warren County Port Authority and private partners to secure the tournament’s long-term presence in Mason.

Discussion and limits: Speakers and staff clarified that the community authority is limited to the tennis campus geography and is primarily financial in nature. It does not, as written in council remarks, replace local police or traffic authorities. Questions about traffic routes and event access were raised by a resident during the second recognition of visitors; staff responded that primary access points will follow the pattern used in prior years, with Southern access onto Western Row and circulation toward Course View/741 as main arteries. Council and staff said detailed traffic and operational plans remain separate from the authority formation and involve engineering and event management staff.

What council voted on: Adoption included an emergency clause so the authority will be established before the tournament and the council appointment of the initial trustees. The measure passed unanimously by roll call.

What’s next: The authority will begin operations as defined in the ordinance, and staff indicated additional, separate planning (traffic, parking, event operations) will continue with relevant departments and partners.