RAPID CITY, S.D. (KELO) — Brand new tennis courts are in the works in Rapid City. Construction is already underway thanks to help from vision funds and the City.

Bella Nelson, a 7th grader at Southwest Middle School, has been playing tennis for 6 years. She spends a lot of her time at The Sioux Park tennis courts which are under renovation.

“Yeah, I’m excited because then we can host more state tournaments because it’ll be bigger and there will be more stadium seating around the courts,” Nelson said.

Isaac Robbennolt feels the same way.

“I’m just glad that there aren’t dips in the courts anymore because there used to be piles of water and it would get all the tennis balls wet so I am just glad that they are going to be gone,” Robbennolt said.

After decades of being used, these tennis courts are seeing a major facelift. Including new lighting, seating, fencing, drainage improvements and more.

“Everything about it is going to be better. It’s going to be easier to coach, easier to watch, easier to play and just the viewing experience is going to be amazing, no one will have what we have for this facility so we are pretty excited,” Jason Olson, Dir. of Tennis & Stevens Head Coach, said.

“We think this will be a great opportunity, a great facility for the young participants but also the general public,” Darrell Shoemaker, City of Rapid City, said.

The multi-million dollar project is scheduled to be finished by November of this year.
Nelson and Robbennolt will be ready to hit the tennis courts when that time comes.

Tennis players and teams will be sharing the Parkview tennis courts until the Sioux Park courts are complete.