The Anchor Project Memorial Drive was the first step in Tennis Australia’s goal to rejuvenate the historic home of tennis in South Australia and to ensure the heritage of Memorial Drive was celebrated and retained. With a long history in delivering heritage projects, AECOM was engaged to provide project management services for this critical redevelopment.
The aim of this initiative was to re-establish world class tennis playing platforms in South Australia. This project was designed to support the further transformation of the Memorial Drive tennis precinct, including the construction of a new roof to be erected over the main show courts and existing stands, providing all weather protection for players and spectators.
The showpiece of the redevelopment is a sunken outdoor show court, with permanent seating for up to 500 spectators with capacity to increase to 1000 patrons to complement the hosting of future major events. This further enhances the venue for recreational and tournament use. An additional 32 courts were resurfaced or reconstructed, to incorporate three Grand Slam surfaces in accordance with the International Tennis Federation and Tennis Australia Rules, Guidelines and National Training Academy requirements.
As part of the redevelopment, AECOM was contracted to deliver:
• A Clay Court Centre of Excellence with five “Tier 1” clay courts, a pavilion and modest amenities
• Multipurpose Tennis Viewing Pavilion and the adjacent sunken court
• Reconfiguration of 13 grass & four synthetic grass courts
• Six reconstructed championship hardcourts in Australian Open colours
• Fencing, shade, seating and new lighting to the majority of courts
• Substantial civil and services infrastructure in support of the reconfiguration of the courts
AECOM was required to navigate a live calendar, ensuring disruptions to the court users were minimal. The project management team interacted closely with the design team and facility stakeholders ensuring this objective was met, whilst delivering a world class tennis facility capable of hosting internationally accredited tournaments.