Prestwick Country Club tennis center endures under new management

The property owners association at Prestwick Country Club has found a way to keep the extensive tennis and swim facilities at the club in operation for the foreseeable future.

Prestwick POA president Jeff Patterson said the POA has contracted with tennis professional Jimmy Mendieta, who is operating Prestwick Tennis Club.

Prestwick Country Club owner The Jackson Companies alerted homeowners in September it was doing away with memberships after 26 years. It made the golf course solely a daily-fee course on Dec. 31 and offered to lease or convey the tennis and swim amenities to the community's POA for $1 each.

The POA purchased the facilities, which include 11 clay courts and two hard courts, a tennis pro shop, locker facilities, a pavilion with restrooms, a half Olympic-size swimming pool and a smaller pool.

“We ended up putting together a lease agreement with a third-party operator,” Patterson said. “We’re very excited because it was something that brought the community together for a common cause to make something happen over there. The community, board and Jackson Companies all worked together to hammer out the details and move forward, and it was a real win for the community.”

Patterson said the pool facility and the two hard courts are now available to Prestwick’s more than 600 homeowners, and the tennis club program has special membership rates for residents to use the other 11 clay courts.

The lease agreement is a multi-year deal with renewal clauses, according to Patterson. Mendieta has created tennis programs for all ages.

“He seems to be just doing great things over there,” Patterson said. “We expect him to be there for a long time.”

This story was originally published February 15, 2016 at 10:46 PM with the headline "Prestwick Country Club tennis center endures under new management."