How USTA Tennis Venue Services laid a foundation for tennis in Sandusky, Ohio
In challenging times, it is inspiring to consider a model of progress and positive transformation. That’s exactly what’s exemplified by the new Sandusky, Ohio, tennis complex.
As Sandusky City Schools Chief Executive and Superintendent Dennis Muratoris explained on opening day this past August, the six-court complex, planned and constructed through funding from multiple local sources and USTA Tennis Venue Services, “is a powerful example of what we can achieve when we work together for the benefit of our city.”
The first ball on the new courts was struck in a match between the St. Mary Central Catholic High School and Sandusky High School girls’ tennis teams, a fitting inaugural as both the parochial institution and Sandusky Educational Foundation contributed to the approximately five-month project built on land that once was home to the American Crayon Factory.
Their play, on what will serve as home court for both schools under a 10-year licensing agreement, provides a state-of-the-art foundation to programs that previously played on surfaces in a physically threatening state of disrepair. Recognition of that threat and the opportunity to provide greater recreational facilities for the municipality was the convincing argument when Sandusky voters approved their part in the funding for the Rec Center, leading quickly and directly to, “a plan to accommodate both schools and give our residents a great facility,” according to Sandusky Recreation Projects Manager Chris Mehling.
A network of connections within the city led town officials to Cheryl Birch, Executive Director of the USTA Midwest Northern Ohio District, who helped guide the proposal toward USTA Tennis Venue Services. The TVS group awarded the project a $200,000 grant, matching the USTA’s largest investment in a single project in the history of the program.
The new tennis courts in Sandusky, Ohio. Photo courtesy of the City of Sandusky, Ohio.
Of course, it wasn’t just about the money. Mehling says a “phenomenal” team from TVS assisted the project with their overall expertise and with a thorough review of the plans. For instance, original planning for the courts included asphalt specifications that were based on lower state standards intended for roadways. TVS, however, offered insights that helped focus on the specific needs of a tennis court surface and aided in aligning construction details with ASBA-USTA court construction industry standards. Adding to the quality of the finished product was the work of Sandusky-based SportMaster Sport Surfaces, which also made a $30,000 in-kind donation for paint and materials.
The TVS grant—among over $16 million the USTA has awarded through TVS in 2025—was made because “Sandusky is thinking big,” says Todd Carlson, USTA senior director of Tennis Venue Services, Parks and CTAs. “By kicking off this site development with six new tennis courts, they’ve laid the foundation for a future recreation hub. This initiative proves their dedication to expanding tennis opportunities locally and to promoting the health and wellness of their community.”
The vision is that these courts will do much more than support play from the two schools. The recreation department has reached out to other local schools to develop plans for at least 300 junior high school students to learn (and improve) their tennis as part of physical education classes. Also in various stages of development are the hosting of regional and local tournaments for various levels of play; league play and summer lessons; and conversations with neighboring communities about increasing their access to tennis as well.
And the story of tennis growth in Sandusky doesn’t end there. Spurred on by the opening of this new facility, all ages are coming forward in a popular embrace of the sport, demonstrating how well this fits with the municipal mission, according to Mehling, to “Get ’em up, get ’em moving, and get them socializing with other people.”
For more on how the USTA’s Tennis Venue Services can help your facility or project, visit usta.com/facilities or email facilities@usta.com.
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