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US Open rain

By Lana Maciel
August 14, 2013 

The USTA’s newly reformatted schedule of a third-Monday men’s final at the US Open could turn out to be a short-term plan, as the organization has announced its decision to build a state-of-the-art retractable roof over Arthur Ashe Stadium, possibly by the 2016 event.

Details of the complete construction project will be revealed on Thursday, but the new roof will be included in a $500 million renovation plan for the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Other projects included in this transformation are upgrades to the fan-favorite Grandstand and Louis Armstrong show courts.

In each of the past five years, the men’s final has been rained out and pushed back to a Monday, prompting the question of whether a roof should be built over the gargantuan 22,500-seat Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Initially, officials claimed the possibility of a roof was highly improbable due to the fact that the stadium was built on a foundation of soft landfill that could not hold the extra weight of a massive roof. As a comparison, the roof over Ashe would have to cover five times the area sheltered by the roof over Wimbledon’s Centre Court.


The new proposed roof, according to Sports Business Journal, would be made of PTFE, a light, translucent material. Final construction plans for the stadium upgrades must still be approved by the city and state boards. 

If and when the roof is in place, perhaps the USTA could revert back to its traditional Sunday men's final.

(Photo Credit: AP)

 

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