Memorial Drive's Planned Upgrade Given All Clear By Members

The planned A$9.8M ($7.5M) upgrade to Adelaide's Memorial Drive has been "given the all clear after members of the Memorial Drive Tennis Club voted in overwhelming favour of the project," according to Jesper Fjeldstad of THE ADVERTISER. The vote was the "final hurdle before works could be booked in to start later this year." It means that once the 12-month project is completed -- it is expected to be ready for the 2019 World Tennis Challenge -- "the vision of a multi-purpose arena in the riverside precinct is one step closer." The vote also means the "three major players" -- Memorial Drive Tennis Club, Next Generation and Tennis South Australia -- "will be able to work more closely to attract major tennis events" such as Davis Cup, Fed Cup and pro events to the venue. Tennis SA CEO Steve Baldas said, "It’s about getting more people to play, more often, right on the city fringe." The project is funded by a A$10M ($7.6M) grant from the Australian federal government (THE ADVERTISER, 7/10).