Committee hears detailed review of Portland Tennis Center: big demand, deferred maintenance and a possible USTA partnership

Portland Parks and Recreation presented an overview of the city’s municipal tennis program to the Arts and Economy Committee on Oct. 7, detailing strong local demand for courts, a backlog of deferred maintenance across outdoor courts and the Portland Tennis Center (PTC), and an ongoing discussion about a potential operations partnership with the United States Tennis Association (USTA) Pacific Northwest.

The key points: staff said there are more than 80,000 active tennis players in Portland and noted the city’s current court ratio is about one court per 7,708 active players. The PTC was described as a regional hub with 12 courts — eight in a building plus four courts inside an inflatable “bubble” structure used for year‑round play — and staff said indoor court demand substantially outpaces supply.

“Right now…we’re open earlier than 6 a.m. and stay open till almost 10 p.m., and we’re pretty much booked the entire time,” Mary Anne Thibault, sports management supervisor for the city of Portland, told the committee. Thibault detailed a tiered approach to outdoor…