Wimbledon Secures Loan For Roof
<![CDATA[Grass-court Slam secures $224 million loan for roof over Court Number One.]]>
A cap is coming to Court Number One.The All England Club has secured a $224 million loan from HSBC to fund a retractable roof over Wimbledon's Court Number One as well as other Master Plan projects.Q & A: Paul AnnaconeThe new retractable roof will cost about $91 million and is scheduled to be completed in time for the 2019 Wimbledon.In addition to a retractable roof, the All England Club also plans to add two additional tiers of about 900 seats to Court Number One, which would join Centre Court as Wimbledon's second stadium with a retractable roof, ensuring daily uninterrupted play for about 27,000 spectators on the two show courts regardless of the weather.
The All England Club made about a $42 million profit last year, according to Eurosport, which helped pay off an earlier loan to pay for the Centre Court retractable roof.The roof is phase one of the Master Plan, which also proposes:
- Repositioned Court 12 with permanent stands and views to Centre Court
- A new southern garden with a potential for an entrance gate
- A new indoor courts building
- New clay-courts south of Somerset Road
- An expanded Aorangi Terrace with views over the courts and Wimbledon Park
- A proposed new public plaza outside the newly refurbished Court No. 1 with retractable roof
- A new entrance plaza from the north of the site, including new planting along Church Road to strengthen a tree-lined boulevard
Photo credit: Wimbledon ]]>
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