Tuesday, June 04, 2002
Tourney site or bust
TMS may leave Cincinnati area if lease, facility isn't secured
By Michael Perry, mperry@enquirer.com
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Monday's announcement that Western & Southern Financial Group would be the new title sponsor for the tournament formerly known as the Tennis Masters Series Cincinnati was just step one toward keeping the event here for years to come.
John Barrett, chairman of Western & Southern, and Paul Flory, tournament chairman, unveil the new name of the Tennis Masters tournament.
(Craig Ruttle photo)
| ZOOM |
|
The tournament, now known as the Western & Southern Financial Group Masters, still needs a long-term solution for a facility in which to hold one of the world's top 13 tennis tournaments. The event has been held at the ATP Tennis Center in Mason since 1979, but its lease runs out after the 2005 tournament.
If a new lease or site is not secured, “then we're gone,” tournament chairman Paul Flory said Monday. “What else?”
Carl Lindner and American Financial Group control the property across Interstate-71 from Paramount's Kings Island. The company has reportedly been seeking an estimated $17 million for the facility.
Flory is trying to find a way for the tournament to buy the property, with financial assistance from Deerfield Township, Warren County and the city of Mason.
Their incentive? The tennis tournament has an economic impact of more than $23 million.
“(Lindner) wants to sell the tournament the facility, but it's whether or not we have the ability to finance it,” Flory said. “That's what we're working on.”
The city of Mason was considering buying the facility, city manager Scott Lahrmer said, but the price was too high.
“We were interested in acquiring the property, but we were not able to come up with the necessary funds to make that happen,” Lahrmer said. “(Flory's) plan would probably require some (financial) participation from us. We're supportive of keeping the (tournament) here in Mason. Whether it's us owning it or someone else owning it, our whole objective is to ensure that world-class tennis is played in Mason.”
Likewise, Warren County backs Flory's plan.
“We are going to help them however we can,” said Shirley Bonekemper, executive director of the Warren County Convention & Visitors Bureau.
Greg Horwedel, administrator for Deerfield Township, said whether to make a financial contribution is “currently under consideration by the board of trustees. They have not made a final decision yet.” Horwedel said the township's board needs more information from Flory and Bonekemper.
The tournament would consider moving to another site in the area, Flory said, but there have been no serious opportunities to do so.
“It's a project as far as we're concerned, and we're trying to complete the project,” Flory said.
Finding a title sponsor was just as important to the tournament's future.
The event lost its previous title sponsor — Great American Insurance — after ISL Worldwide, a Swiss sports marketing company, acquired exclusive marketing, licensing and broadcasting rights to the nine Tennis Masters Series events and season-ending Tennis Masters Cup in December 1999.
ISL filed for bankruptcy in March 2001.
The Cincinnati tournament had been looking for a new title sponsor since last September, a task made difficult by a struggling economy and the 9-11 attacks.
When Flory looks out the window of his office in the Chiquita building, he sees a sign on the Western-Southern Life building. So, just a few weeks ago, he called up chairman, president and CEO John Barrett, and made his pitch.
Western & Southern soon agreed to a multiyear deal to be the title sponsor.
“We have never done anything like this,” Barrett said. “We're a more lower key company than most.
“They came to us and laid out what was at stake. From our standpoint, it's one of those long-standing Cincinnati traditions, and we decided that we ought to back it — a lot for the community, a lot for the company. It's good for everybody.”
Sports Stories
Teams cut big-name veterans
In draft, Reds weigh talent vs. payroll
Teams scramble to find top players for draft
Pete Rose may get last Cinergy hurrah
Almanzar replacing Rijo
Casey to make camp appearance
Kearns named Rookie of the Month
Reds-Cardinals series preview
Toledo 6, Louisville 0
Beckett wants to lose tipoff
Blue Jays fire manager Martinez, promote Tosca
Baseball Today
NL roundup
AL roundup
Preps schedule
Tourney site or bust
