New Haven Open tournament director Anne Worcester admits that the WTA event came close to leaving town, but after the State of Connecticut stepped in to purchase it, she is confident that it has a long-term future in the area.
The USTA, which owns the sanction, first attempted to sell to the tournament to Winston-Salem, North Carolina, but the ATP Board of Directors nixed the idea of another combined event.
New Haven officials were given another chance to save it, and Worcester convinced Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy and his team to put in a bid for the event. The State of Connecticut put up $618,000 for the sanction, which is considered to be a discounted price for a WTA Premier Level event, but the USTA wanted to keep the tournament in the United States so it didn't press for a higher price.
“Only one thing stood between the WTA sanction in New Haven moving to Winston-Salem, and that was the ATP vote,” Worcester told TENNIS.com. "While I knew there was a very real possibility that the event could already be gone, the State of Connecticut and our team worked diligently to have the opportunity to keep the event in New Haven if the ATP board turned down the Winston-Salem offer. This is the major reason why, after the ATP vote, the State of Connecticut and the Capital Regional Development Authority were prepared and acted so quickly to ensure the event stayed in Connecticut."
Connecticut's Capital Regional Development Authority will vote on the purchase Thursday.
Malloy and his supporters are convinced that despite lower ticket sales over the past few years, the tournament does provide a high economic impact for that state. An economic impact study conducted in 2008 stated that the tournament generated around $26 million in regional economic impact, including almost 300 jobs and $1.1 million in state tax revenue. Some analysts do not believe the number is that high anymore for a 28-player singles event (in 2008 the tournament also featured an ATP component), but given the state’s relatively small investment, even if was substantially less than that, keeping the tournament would likely have a positive impact. Worcester believes that it will turn the corner.
“The State of Connecticut understands the value this event brings in economic impact, jobs and tax revenues as well as intangible benefits like community pride and New Haven's year-round youth tennis and education programs," Worcester said. “They understand that even though attendance has declined in recent years, like some other live pro sporting events, the tournament is not in peril as some would believe, and in fact showed significant improvement in 2013 with paid attendance increasing as well as with all five Cornerstone Sponsors renewing their commitments for the future. I believe with the State's support, especially in the area of facility infrastructure, this event will continue to improve, grow and thrive for years to come in New Haven."
On Thursday night, the Capital Region Development Authority approved the purchase of the rights to the New Haven Open.