Big things are happening at Koch.
We're fundraising to replace 18 of Koch's 27 courts
Join the effort
All donations are tax deductible.
Koch is vital to tennis in the greater Omaha area.
The Koch Tennis Center is crucial to the vitality of the tennis community in the metro area. It provides the community’s largest bank of public tennis courts and because of that, it has the unique ability to host large tournaments.
Koch hosts the likes of Nebraska state champions, Missouri Valley juniors and adults, sectional and national league competitors, Special Olympians, college teams, and referees-in-training.
Omaha Public Schools, Creighton Prep, Brownell Talbot, UNO, and Creighton University rely on Koch as their primary practice and competition venue.
Koch offers extensive tennis instruction, recreational and league play, and local high school and college team access.
Tennis instruction available at Koch includes Learn-to-Play programs for youth, private and group lessons with certified professionals for juniors and adults, and training programs for tennis officials for tournament play.
Koch also hosts national, regional, and state events, bringing in players, families, and supporters from across the country.
Originally built as Tranquility Park Tennis Center with six courts in 1998, Koch expanded over the next ten years with the help of both public and private funds.
It is now The Koch Family Tennis Center, a premier tennis facility of 31 outdoor courts spread over 16 lush acres in northwest Omaha.
In 2003 and 2013, the United States Tennis Association (USTA) named the Koch its National Facility of the Year. This notable honor was based on the condition and unique layout of the facility, as well as its ability to host regional and national level events. Currently the City of Omaha and OTA maintain the facility.
Koch hosts a lot of events because of its size
accessible
Multicultural player development
Special Olympics events
Tennis Buddies - the national award-winning program for adaptive play
Fred Johnson Special Olympic Missouri Valley tournament
Wheelchair tournaments
- Multiple courts unsafe & closed for play
- Dangerous cracks & uneven surfaces in asphalt courts
- Peeling surfaces
- Water damage
- Drainage issues
- Shortage of shade & spectator seating
- Inadequate restrooms
In its current state, Koch is already limiting play for the thousands of local players relying on its courts. Koch has canceled or curtailed several events due to the severe disrepair of its courts.
If we do nothing, Koch risks losing more significant tournaments. Many key state and regional tournaments have relocated to other cities with updated tennis facilities, as found in Lincoln, Oklahoma City, Des Moines, and Tulsa.
The ability of the Koch Center to attract leading national and regional events creates real economic benefits for the Omaha area, as hundreds of tennis players and fans spend their dollars at hotels, restaurants, shops, and tourist sites. Money spent through these large-scale events benefits the entire metro area.
But the years have not been kind.
Koch now needs 24 of its courts reconstructed.
The newly built courts will use state-of-art post tension concrete. It requires little maintenance, deters deterioration, and produces a better playing surface.
The City of Omaha has agreed to fund construction of the first six new courts. (See their Letter Of Intent here.) And the Omaha Tennis Association is fundraising for the remaining 18, plus other upgrades.
See diagram above for a visual breakdown. Click here to view the Letter of Intent from the City of Omaha.
For phase 1, our goal is to raise $1,000,000 to replace 6 courts in addition to the City’s 6 courts:
- 6 courts @ $120,000 each
- $250,000 for facility upgrades and other project costs
To redo all 18 courts and make needed upgrades, we will need to raise somewhere in the ballpark of $3 Million.
Construction on courts will begin as we raise funds. For each bank of courts, we will begin construction as soon as we have enough money raised for the entire bank. Because of this construct-as-we-go format, the project timeline is dependent on how quickly we are able to raise sufficient funds.
The OTA is working with the City of Omaha to devise an effective plan for keeping the courts and facility grounds well-maintained.
Yes! See below
What people are saying about Koch
The facility is in need of work done on the courts. Mostly replacement is needed. But Tracy ran a great tournament.
Parent of Player
September 2022
Other than the comment about the condition of the courts being pretty
unacceptable, the tournament is nicely run.
Parent of Player
September 2022
Koch courts are in shocking disrepair.
Parent of Player
September 2022
While the facility lay out is certainly well thought out, the condition of the
courts, fence and surround areas is in need of significant remediation. Most
courts have many cracks and many were not used (presumably because of
their condition). I'm sure it was a nice facility at some point, but currently is
in significant disrepair.
Parent of Player
September 2022
The facility seems to be slipping more and more each year. It looks like another court or two is out of play, and the existing ones are in rough shape (dead spots, cracks, etc). This may be well known, but if nothing is done soon, this may not be a viable facility to host events.
Parent of Player
September 2022
The only negative of this
tournament was the condition of the courts at the Koch Tennis Center.
Parent of Player
September 2022
Help restore our flagship facility.
Naming Opportunities & Donor Tiers
Stadium court naming rights (1 available) – $200,000
Single court naming rights (18 available) – $120,000
Pavilion naming rights (1 available) – $50,000
Platinum tier – $25,000+
Gold tier – $10,000-$24,999
Silver tier – $5,000-$9,999
Bronze tier – $1,000-$4,999
* You are not bound by these levels. We gladly accept donations of all sizes to make this project happen!
Donations are tax deductible.
Omaha Tennis Association Development Fund dba Omaha Tennis Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization as defined by IRS regulations. Our federal tax ID is 01-0780152. Please consult your tax accountant/advisor regarding pledged contributions.