Image: The entire tennis centre site is to be revamped

The US Tennis Association (USTA) has unveiled its new strategic vision for the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York City, US - home of the US Open tournament.

A number of construction projects designed to improve the visitor and player experience are part of the Rossetti-designed plan, which will reportedly cost US$500m (EUR396m, £322m).

Among the planned improvements will be a redevelopment of the Louis Armstrong Stadium and the construction of an 8,000-seat Grandstand Stadium to the south-west of the site.

The vision - unveiled by USTA and New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg - will allow up to 10,000 more fans each day to attend the US Open and improve year-round facilities.

Work is due to begin on the first phase of improvements in Q3 next year and will take up to eight years to complete. The first project will see the practice court area rebuilt.

The Arthur Ashe Stadium will receive "various cosmetic improvements" but will not boast a roof. The final phase of work will be the Louis Armstrong Stadium redevelopment.

Located at Flushing Meadows, the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center spans 42 acres (17 hectares) and contains indoor and outdoor tennis facilities available for public use.

USTA executive director and chief operating officer Gordon Smith said: "We are facing an ageing facility with ageing stadiums. [The NTC] pretty much needs a complete overhaul."

Bloomberg added: "The US Open is one of the city's greatest sporting events, and it generates more than US$750m (EUR595m, £482m) a year in economic activity."

Details: www.usta.com (USTA/Bloomberg announcement)
Details: www.usta.com (Billie Jean King National Tennis Center)

Image: USTA/Rossetti