“Our intention is for every person who visits the tournament to enjoy a world-class, elevated experience,” said Bob Moran, president of Beemok Sports & Entertainment. “These seating upgrades will be an immediate improvement for spectators and are a signal of the continued investments and enhancements that will be made over the coming years.”
The announcement comes after the region narrowly retained the tournament by matching the $130 million of taxpayers money that Charlotte, N.C. was asked to Invest if the event moved there. Warren County Commissioner David Young has said that the state of Ohio and Warren County would contribute $50 million each, while the city of Mason would contribute $30 million, in an agreement to keep the tournament here for 25 years.
Beemok said all Center Court seats will include armrests and cupholders, while leg room and aisle space will be maximized to ensure easy access, without losing any capacity. The changes in Center Court will include:
· Replacing all bleachers with seats;
· Padded seat bottoms on all lower bowl seats;
· Oversized, padded seats in all premium seat locations.
The tournament will also introduce a new premium seating opportunity, the Baseline Premier Box Seats, which will feature oversized seats with cooling technology, according to Beemok. Additionally, the boxes will include built-in mini fridges for water and cold towels and access to the 1899 Club, which will offer all-inclusive food and non-alcoholic beverages.
“The installation of the climate-controlled, cooled seats will mark the first time a stadium or arena in the world has used such technology,” said Chandler Suprina, president of manufacturer DreamSeat, “and we cannot think of a better venue or a more innovative partner to feature them for the first time. These seats will truly be a game changer in terms of the fan experience.”
There will be 50 on-court seats added providing a new up-close, intimate experience to fans. These new seats will be sold on a full-series and single-session basis.
Improvements to the Grandstand Court will include adding padded seats to the entire lower bowl and the installation of oversized, suite-style seats along the north baseline.
Beemok said much of the seating on the non-stadium courts was upgraded in 2023, with fold-down seats replacing bleachers. Site improvements this year also included a new Fan Zone, premium hospitality options such as The Grandview Club and Sip & Serve Sun Deck, an increase of floral displays and the installation of 74 LED digital screens around the grounds. More than 194,000 people attended the 2023 tournament, with 13 of 16 sessions selling out.
Additional site improvements will be made in the coming months as the tournament expands to host 96 players in each singles field over 12 days beginning in 2025.
Each August, Cincinnati hosts the world’s top men’s and women’s tennis talent with ATP Tour and Hologic WTA Tour 1000-level tournaments concurrently, joining Madrid, Miami, Rome and Indian Wells, Calif., as the only cities to hold such events.
Founded in 1899, the tournament will celebrate 125 years when it is held Sunday, Aug. 11 through Monday, Aug. 19, 2024. The dates are shifting one day later than past editions to aid players with their scheduling as numerous participants will be coming to Cincinnati shortly after competing in the Olympic Games in Paris.
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