Some Lawrence tennis players fear they could be on the losing end of a long volley, as concerns grow over whether the city will install lights at new courts south of Lawrence High School.

“All we would like for them to do is to hold up their end of the bargain,” said Kay Pettit, Lawrence Tennis Association treasurer.

Members of the group, which promotes tennis in the area, and other tennis players are miffed that there are no plans for lights to be installed on a set of eight new courts being built by the Lawrence school district.

“Without those lights we basically have nowhere to play,” said Sydney Lartigue, tennis association member. “So it’s very important.”

School board members approved financing for the new tennis courts last year as part of a massive construction project that’s adding and improving athletic fields at LHS and Free State High School, 4700 Overland Drive.

The $1.2 million tennis courts are being installed at Greever Terrace and Virginia Street, just west of Centennial School, 2145 La., and one block south of the LHS campus, 1901 La.

The courts will replace public-use courts at the Lawrence Tennis Center, on the southwestern corner of the LHS campus.

The city and school district share responsibility for maintaining the current tennis courts, which were built in the 1970s and are used by high school students and the public. Tom Bracciano, the district’s division director for operations and facility planning, said the existing courts, replete with large cracks, were in major disrepair.

Bracciano said the school district started discussions with city leaders about continuing the partnership with the new courts and was under the impression the city would pay for lights on the new courts.

While the city said it wants to be a player in the operation of the soon-to-be-built courts, it has yet to enter a formal agreement to help with maintenance of the courts — or to fork over $100,000 for lights to benefit those in the community wanting to play at night.

“It’s all going to come down to what are the priorities that the commission sets,” said Ernie Shaw, interim director of the Lawrence Parks and Recreation Department.

School officials said they have no need for lighted courts because the majority of tennis team members play during the day. But the district is moving forward with the prep work needed to add lights to the new courts, Bracciano said.

City Manager Dave Corliss said the city would look at purchasing lights for the new courts once state lawmakers decide whether the city or the state will get liquor tax revenues, which contributes $600,000 to the Parks and Recreation Department. Because of budgetary problems, the state has said it might not pass that money onto cities.

Tennis players hope they get their lights before the school district destroys the existing courts and turns the land into an additional parking lot for LHS.

“We know times are tight, but it’s just really important to us,” Pettit said.