NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The latest chapter of Vandy United, Vanderbilt’s unprecedented $300 million investment in athletics, was highlighted today when artists’ renderings of the Lummis Family Tennis Center were unveiled. Fred and Claudia Lummis, both BA’76, and their sons—Fred III, Dan, BA’05, and Ben, BA’08—have made the lead gift with the goal of inspiring and facilitating gifts from other alumni and donors to champion state-of-the-art tennis facilities to benefit both the Vanderbilt and greater Nashville communities.
“The Lummis Family Tennis Center will ensure that our tennis programs have the facilities necessary to meet the standard of excellence we have all come to expect,” said Candice Lee, vice chancellor for athletics and university affairs and athletic director. “Thanks to the generosity of Fred and Claudia Lummis and their family, our student-athletes will enjoy the best experience in collegiate tennis. The center will also offer improved fan and game day experiences to bring Nashville’s tennis community and Commodore Nation even closer to our programs.”
Award-winning global architectural design firm Populous, master architect for Vandy United’s signature projects and for notable tennis structures such as Wimbledon AELTC and the Hengqin International Tennis Center in China, is spearheading design of the on-campus complex.
“Vanderbilt’s alumni and supporters know that their gifts will not only benefit current students, but generations to come,” Chancellor Daniel Diermeier said. “This generous gift by the Lummis family will long enable student-athletes to realize more of their potential, while providing a destination for Nashville tennis fans. It is representative of Vanderbilt’s signature collaborative spirit and the all-in attitude that will make Vandy United a success.”
The expanded and renovated tennis center will exceed all requirements needed to host all levels of NCAA postseason competition.
“Claudia and I are thrilled to help Vanderbilt tennis write the next chapter in a storied history,” said Fred Lummis, founder and chairman of Platform Partners LLC. “Captaining the men’s tennis team was one of the great privileges of my years at Vanderbilt. My experiences as a student-athlete provided some of the best memories and most valuable lessons of my life. Our goal is to help create a center of tennis excellence not only for Vanderbilt to compete for championships but to serve the Nashville tennis community. We hope that our gift inspires others to contribute to this transformative project, and Claudia and I look forward to seeing current and future Commodores create their own lasting memories.”
The five current courts in the indoor portion of the existing tennis complex will be renovated into a more generous and playable four courts with additional circulation space, and five new indoor courts will be added. Other additions include new seating options to provide unobstructed viewing of all courts, air conditioning, new upward-facing LED lighting, and upgraded and insulated interior walls with a ball-resistant covering. All existing student-athlete and coaches’ facilities will be renovated and upgraded.
“We are incredibly grateful for the Lummis family’s lead gift to our tennis facility project,” Vanderbilt women’s tennis head coach Aleke Tsoubanos said. “This project will provide our student-athletes the opportunity to train, develop and compete at one of the premier tennis facilities in the country. We are thrilled to begin building a home for the future of our programs that supports our mission of providing the best student-athlete experience in all of college tennis. We look forward to welcoming fans to the new facility to cheer on the Dores in our pursuit of more SEC and national championships.
“Nashville has a fantastic tennis community, and the Lummis Family Tennis Center will allow us to welcome it to our beautiful campus.”
Two outdoor courts will be added to the current layout, the entirety of which will be resurfaced under new lights. New interior court fences and ornamental perimeter fences and gates will be installed. Fan amenities such as more fixed chair-back seating options, wheelchair-accessible observation areas, additional patio space and shaded areas will complement circulation improvements, and viewing spines between courts will enhance spectator engagement.
“We are extremely excited about the planned construction of a new Vanderbilt tennis facility,” said Ian Duvenhage, Vanderbilt men’s tennis head coach. “Thanks to the support of our athletic administration and the generous contributions of Fred and Claudia Lummis and our donors, we will be the fortunate recipients of one of the finest tennis centers in the nation.”
These improvements made possible by the Lummis family’s gift build upon the foundation laid by Brownlee O. Currey Jr., whose transformational contributions to Vanderbilt’s existing tennis center will continue to be honored through the Brownlee O. Currey Jr. Tennis Pavilion.
Construction will take place concurrently with other Vandy United efforts.
