Reports Van Ness:  "We now have all of our 12 outdoor clay courts open and they are really in good shape after having to unexpectedly repair or replace much of the court irrigation system..... And we now have a tennis court repair company fixing our two hard courts that had been neglected-- we will have 4 hard courts available in a week or two giving us more hard courts for Juniors to practice on, overflow from our summer membership, and for nice winter days."

In a week or so light fixtures for lighting 2 more outdoor clay courts will be in hand and installed giving the club 4 outdoor lighted courts.  Although windy conditions over the past few weeks has slowed the process of putting the large metal sheets on walls and roofs on the indoor facility, Van Ness says the first building should be fully enclosed by weekend.  "Then we can start fitting it out for play. We're very anxious to get started playing in those buildings!"

3/23/07: Last year about this time, Bo Webb, the Head Pro at Brandermill Country Club, was in a terrible funk.  Not even his beautiful surroundings could cheer him up. In fact, walking down the tree-lined paths of his 18 court tennis facility only reminded him of what it would soon become-- a new condominium complex.

MTC Project General Manager Dr. Hamid Ghorashi surveys work on the steel buildings that will house the indoor clay courts.

Owners of Brandermill, concerned about a declining membership and revenues directed towards tennis facilities that weren't a priority, had decided to sell the tennis part of the club to make way for condo development.  Neighborhood residents protested the proposal,  joined hand in hand with tennis players who had already been dealt a blow with the closing of the nearby Courtside indoor facility in April, 2006.

Fast forward to March, 2007.   Bo Webb is a different man, full of energy and enthusiasm, and it's not just due to his new buzz haircut.   After months of negotiations and possibilities tossed about by club owners and investors and accountants and architects, it's the tennis players who have finally come out on top.  And Bo, the former Head Tennis Pro at Brandermill, celebrates with them.  He's been named the new Head Tennis Director at Midlothian Tennis Club,  formerly the courts of Brandermill.

In April, four indoor clay courts will be unveiled, to complete a project that has been underway since last Fall.  The new indoor building-- comprised of two steel structures that will house the courts, connected by a 2,400 square foot Atrium that will include the tennis observation area, pro shop and locker rooms-- was scheduled to open in December.  Then came the typical delays associated with permits and such, pushing back the opening of the indoor courts for several months.

All the delays and frustrations associated therewith weren't noticeable on the faces of the player/investors that met with me recently to enthusiastically show off the progress to date. 

Dr. Hamid Ghorashi came out of retirement to oversee the project.   A member of Brandermill for over 30 years, he easily impresses with his sense of knowledge of where the club has been, where it is at the moment, and where he envisions it to be in the future.

"Our mission is to bring back tennis to the neighborhood and grow it by focusing on the youth," he said.  Ghorashi has been involved in the project from the beginning, and has spent 80 hours a week working with the club owners, the county and the player investors. "I'm anxious to get back to retirement," he admitted with a smile.

Another player/investor, Marilyn Downing, has helped to keep  the project moving forward through its more difficult times. Lots of people would recognize her as a fixture at Courtside before it closed.  Since Midlothian Tennis Club (MTC) was scheduled to open prior to the Winter Mixed Indoor League season, Marilyn has been dealing with tennis related issues arising from the unforeseen delays.  

Matt Campbell, who coordinated the USTA Mixed Winter Indoor League, worked feverishly to reschedule matches for MTC teams when construction delays meant no courts were available.  "He had a great attitude about it," said Marilyn.  "We've thanked him a 100 times, but you can thank him again.

"He knows that we're going to be here for a long time, and he was willing to work with us," added Ghorashi.

The resort-like atmosphere at the club has not changed under the current renovations.

There has been a groundswell of interest in membership recently.  Total membership right now is at about 300.  Ghorashi said that their plans call for a cap at 50% of the USTA's recommended level for court utilization.

MTC's relationship with Brandermill Country Club will likely prove highly beneficial for both entities.  Social memberships at Brandermill are priced very reasonably, and will allow players to drop by the lounge for a drink or snack or take a dip in the pool after play.  "There's a lot of synergy between MTC and Brandermill," said Ghorashi.  "It benefits everyone."

The player-owner-investors have a goal to keep costs as low as possible, while serving the membership.  "Every one of us is a tennis player.  We're not looking to make a profit from this.  If we break even, that's fine," said Ghorashi.

Total project costs will come in around $2.2 million. The primary focus of the expenditures has been enclosing the four clay courts.  They are  Har-Tru courts which will be ventilated for summer play by rolling back the large steel doors, and running large fans.  The courts will be hand sprayed 2 or 3 times daily to maintain comfortable playing conditions.

"It's phenomenal," said Bo, taking a short break from feeding balls on one of the lower hard courts not currently under renovation.  "This is the reason I came here in the first place. I always saw the potential here, and I knew if someone would build indoor courts, this could be the #1 facility in Richmond, without a doubt."

MTC's first big event and introduction to the public will be a Mixed Doubles Tournament in July. 

For more information about Midlothian Tennis Club, visit the website at: midlothiantennis.com.