Kansas Athletics purchases First Serve Tennis Center
The Kansas University women’s tennis team has a place to call its own, now that Kansas Athletics Inc. has paid $3.1 million to acquire First Serve Tennis Center from owner Mike Elwell. Enlarge video
The Kansas University women’s tennis team has a place to call its own, now that Kansas Athletics Inc. has paid $3.1 million to acquire First Serve Tennis Center from owner Mike Elwell.
The team has called the center home since 2006, when Kansas Athletics inked a contract that allowed the Jayhawks to stop traveling to Topeka and the Kansas City area for practices and “home” matches.
Now the Jayhawks own their five indoor courts, six outdoor courts, 5.5 acres of land and a building at 5200 Clinton Parkway that includes a locker room, one previously financed by Kansas Athletics.
As part of the deal that closed Monday afternoon, Elwell also agreed to provide Kansas Athletics with membership information for the club’s 150 members.
“Life at First Serve will continue, and we will make this transition as smooth as possible,” Athletics Director Lew Perkins said, in a statement. “All of your classes, court time, leagues, etc., will continue as scheduled and we look forward to the sustained growth of the club.”
Kansas Athletics formed a limited-liability corporation, Jayhawk Tennis Facility LLC, to own the club, which will remain on the city’s tax rolls, Elwell said. Elwell estimated First Serve’s annual property-tax bill at nearly $50,000.
First Serve brought in nearly $500,000 a year in revenues, from memberships, lessons, contractual payments from Kansas Athletics and other miscellaneous fees, such as the Lawrence Home Builders Association’s annual rental of the place for its three-day Lawrence Home Show, which ended Sunday.
The Home Builders will be able to use the center for next year’s show, too, but after that the arrangement will be a matter of discussion and contractual renegotiation.
“This facility is perfect for us,” said Bobbie Flory, the association’s executive director. “I’m sure we’ll soon be visiting with our friends at KU.”
Elwell said he sold the center after losing more than $5,000 a month on its operations since opening four years ago — losses that became unsustainable following his divorce two months ago.
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sad_lawrencian (anonymous) says…
Lew Perkins controls the universe. (Apologies to Andy Richter...)
srj (anonymous) says…
Looking at the last line, divorce lawyers control the universe.
maxcrabb (anonymous) says…
Will the lone soccer court at the end of the building survive? And can we still play there?
The_Original_Bob (anonymous) says…
Looking at the last line, divorce lawyers control the universe. SRJ
ha. I like how he made sure to get that in the article.
randysavage (anonymous) says…
maxcrabb (Anonymous) says…
Will the lone soccer court at the end of the building survive? And can we still play there?
______________________________
max, i didn't know they had a soccer court....can anyone walk in and play? At least prior to this article???
maxcrabb (anonymous) says…
randy, I believe the rented it out to indoor leagues that needed practice or game space. Our league used it while bouncing between South Junior High's practice gym and Robinson on campus.
Of course now you can play at the KU rec center. They have nice courts, and if you are not a KU student, you can still pay something along the lines of $7 to enter. PM me and I'll try and find out when pick up games are going on.
punkrockmom (Nikki May) says…
I'm interested in knowing about the ball fields outside. They are pretty nice fields. They were used most of the summer.
alfie (anonymous) says…
What A Good Deal!
5200 Clinton Pkwy Lawrence $1,554,700 John M Elwell (Douglas County Property Value)
skinny (Richard Johnson) says…
Well, I guess the City of Lawrence will lose that property tax now too.
KRichards (anonymous) says…
Skinny-read the article again and test your reading comprehension.
monkeyhawk (anonymous) says…
Remember this sweet deal?
"Property sale OK'd near Sport 2 Sport
Commissioners gave tentative approval to sell 1.1 acres of property adjacent to the former Sport 2 Sport complex, 5200 Clinton Parkway, to Mike Elwell for $26,000. Elwell will use the property to expand his new tennis center, which has taken over the indoor space of Sport 2 Sport."
1 March 2006
at 1:43 p.m.
"Godot (Anonymous) says…
According the Douglas County Appraiser, Elwell purchased the land and building for Sport 2 Sport on 1/1/2006. The land, a little more than 3 acres, was valued at $368,000, or about $122,000 per acre.
Now, just 60 days later, the city offers Elwell the adjacent 1.1 acres for only $26000. How long has this deal been in the works? Who made this decision? Why wasn't it disclosed before it was completed? If the city didn't need this land anymore, why wasn't it put out for bid, for sale to the highest bidder?"
Of course, there were never any answers from the amigos, and it was snuck in under this:
"City Commissioner Mike Rundle and Mayor Boog Highberger agreed. Rundle called marijuana usage a victimless crime, and Highberger said most people who use marijuana "don't have any trouble with it."
"I just don't see any justification for this fine at all," Highberger said.
Both Rundle and Highberger said they were willing to support an alternative ordinance that would have imposed a $100 minimum fine and a mandatory evaluation program."
http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2006/mar...
just_another_bozo_on_this_bus (anonymous) says…
Non sequitur much, monkeyhawk?
StrangerCreek (anonymous) says…
Seems a little tasteless to add that comment about his pending divorce. Doesn't really relate to the basic theme.