MASON, Ohio — Play starts Saturday at the 2023 Western & Southern Open — but could this be one of the last times the tournament takes place in Mason?
This year marks the first year the nearly 125-year-old tournament is run under new owners Beemok Capital Group. While it's been in the Cincinnati area every year, there is real fear the new ownership will leave.
Charlotte City Council members voted unanimously in June to move forward on a $400 million tennis complex to house the open, with the public money required nearly fully pledged.
To keep the tournament in Mason, Beemok Capital reportedly asked for $150 million in improvements to the Lindner Family Tennis Center — a third of it from public sources. So far, the state has pledged $22.5 million, with Mason pledging $15 million for a total of $48 million.
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The CEO of the open's sponsor, Western & Southern's John Barrett, said Friday they are still working to keep the tournament in the Tri-State. He said they were introducing Beemok Capital founder Ben Navarro to local CEOs to expand support should the open stay.
Warren County Commissioner David Young previously spoke on the open's importance to the region, noting it generates $70 million a year — and that number could double when the tournament expands to two weeks in 2025.
As of now, Barrett said, "It's touch and go, but we're hopeful."
The tournament will be in Mason through 2025, but an announcement on what happens after that is expected to come this fall.
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