[GetsTan]

A little blurb appeared in Bob Greene's newletter yesterday. I meant to post it, but forgot as the day went on. The comment was this...

SITE SWITCH?

Politicians in Sydney want to build a multi-million dollar tennis facility and take the Australian Open away from Melbourne. The Victorian capital has the rights to stage the year’s first Grand Slam tournament until 2016. According to news reports, the New South Wales state government, however, wants to build a tennis complex in Glebe, which is close to the Sydney city center, and try to get the Australian Open to move after its contract with Melbourne expires.

http://www.tennisgrandstand.com/archives/2092


Don't know if this was part of a bigger story somewhere else (maybe Luvs, JustMe or some of our other TATeurs from that part of the world can let us know), but the denials (or "expectations of nothing changing", which would not give me a lot of comfort if I'm in Melbourne) are flying today.

Here's just one of A LOT of stories that have popped up in the wake of the Glebe story:

Tennis-Melbourne to keep Australian Open, officials say
Tue Oct 14, 2008 11:43am BST
SYDNEY, Oct 14 (Reuters) - Organisers of the Australian Open say they expect the tournament will remain in Melbourne despite an offer to move the grand slam event to Sydney when the current contract expires in 2016.

The Australian Open has become the centre of a tug of war between the country's two most populated states after New South Wales announced plans to poach the event from Victoria.

Although the tournament has been shared between Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, Brisbane, Perth and even New Zealand since it's inception in 1905, it has been played continually at Melbourne Park since 1988.

Tennis Australia are currently negotiating with Victoria state officials about a possible upgrade of facilities at Melbourne Park and are confident the plans will be approved to keep the event where it is.

"We've got a business case study going on right now as to what the future needs to deliver for us. We are very happy with the way in which things are operating there," Tennis Australia chief executive Steve Wood told reporters in Brisbane on Tuesday.

"We are going to deliver on our contract at Melbourne, we've had a great run, massive growth in Melbourne.

"Australia is really behind the event as a grand slam. It's a good event in Melbourne."

Wood was speaking at the official launch of the Brisbane International, a new event co-sanctioned by both the men's and women's professional tours.

The tournament will be played in the Queensland state's new tennis centre from Jan. 4-10 and will feature a range of top players including reigning Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic and recent finalists Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Marcos Baghdatis, and French Open winner Ana Ivanovic. (Reporting by Julian Linden; Editing by Martin Petty)

http://uk.reuters.com/article/tennis...23820820081014

[Gastonleruanich]

It isn't going to matter once Larry Scott sells the Australian Open to China.

And they just put on that new roof in Melbourne. If they move the event, what a waste of money.

[Antelpebabe]

I think I might have vaguely heard something about this early this year. It was nothing serious from what I gathered.

I'll keep an ear out during the sports news though.

[AmfitNom]

I don't think that it moving to a different site in Australia is a big deal. As early as last year when they decided to start marketing the Aussie Open as the "Slam of the Pacific" there were rumors afoot that the AO may move to a different country. I wrote a little article about it on my other site but forgot all the details as it was so long ago.

But....as long as they are entertaining moving the AO....I don't think it will cause much of a ruckus if it stays in country but...if it moves to China or somewhere else in the Pacific....wow. That will be a story!

[dhYTvlAv]

Well I hope it stays in Melbourne. I'd much rather go there than Sydney, which is too 'big city' for my liking. Melbourne is more my style.

[VQdeochratis]

I liked Melbourne Park. I hope it doesn't move, just for the purely selfish and completely remote chance I can someday return.

[Antelpebabe]

I don't think that it moving to a different site in Australia is a big deal. As early as last year when they decided to start marketing the Aussie Open as the "Slam of the Pacific" there were rumors afoot that the AO may move to a different country. I wrote a little article about it on my other site but forgot all the details as it was so long ago.

But....as long as they are entertaining moving the AO....I don't think it will cause much of a ruckus if it stays in country but...if it moves to China or somewhere else in the Pacific....wow. That will be a story!

I think it would be a big enough deal. Melbourne prides itself on being a sporting city. If any existing sporting event got moved there would be an uproar.

[actifadepette]

The Chinese are making a big push for this event and have been since last year. It's going to be very interesting to see how it all pans out.

As for the roof, it didn't help Hamburg much did it?

[fuesquemill]

Who "owns" this event, anyway? Tennis Australia? Same as USTA owns the US Open, FFT owns Roland Garros, and the LTA owns Wimbledon?

Surely not the ITF?