The WTA tournament in Carlsbad, California appears to be on its last legs and could move out of San Diego County as early as 2014. The La Costa Resort & Spa, which hosts the event, has apparently told tournament owners Octagon that it does not want to host the event beyond 2013.
Octagon President Phi de Picciotto said there are numerous discussions going on precipitated largely by Wimbledon's decision to move a week back in 2015.
“There will be one less summer week starting in 2015; Carlsbad is currently on the provisional working calendar for 2014, and unless and until it moves, it is in Carlsbad,” he said.
But Indian Wells CEO Raymond Moore, whose group has helped manage the tournament, called Carlsbad a lame duck event. There are no other private facilities in the San Diego County area capable of hosting the WTA Premier level event, and the last time that the event was sold, no public facility made a serious move to host it either.
Carlsbad is part of the U.S. Open Series and the USTA does not want it to move out of the United States. There is a group in Japan interested in buying it, and there are also some individuals in Los Angeles who are interested in bringing pro tennis back to the area. California has already lost two men’s tournaments in the past year, San Jose and L.A.
As recently as 2005, the L.A.-San Diego area hosted four pro tournaments, including the WTA Championships. The only tournament that is sure to stay in the area next year is Indian Wells.