History

Biltmore Hills Park is a 38.48 acre park located at 2615 Fitzgerald Drive, Raleigh, NC, and originally developed in 1964. Recognizing the need for tennis courts in Raleigh, local tennis enthusiasts began advocating for expanded tennis opportunities to promote local, state and regional play. These efforts led PRCR to conduct a study to identify potential opportunities that utilized city-owned property. On April 17, 2012 the City Council approved the Southeast Raleigh Tennis Center Project. The original location for the project became unsuitable. Biltmore Hills was selected to keep the effort advancing based on the established tennis program at Biltmore Hills Park which includes our partnership with the Ebony Racquet Club.

The core mission of the tennis center expansion is to provide the continually expanding City of Raleigh tennis community with additional space for city and USTA league play, drop-in play and instructional opportunities with potential to be a destination location for tournament play.

In June 2017 consultant team lead by HagerSmith Design, PA was hired by the City to perform architectural and engineering design, and construction administration services for Park Improvements and the Southeast Raleigh Tennis Center at Biltmore Hills Park.

The Southeast Raleigh Tennis Center was to include an approximately 1,000 square foot building addition to the Community Center for tennis related programming and operation, as well as adding eight new tennis courts to the existing eight court complex. After careful consideration PRCR staff chose to add onto the existing center and site new tennis courts on the little league ball field based on cost efficiencies and data on ball field usage.   

At numerous meetings during preliminary design, the community-made it clear that tennis and baseball are both highly valued programs that need to “coexist” in the park. In response to this feedback, the project team underwent a concept study to help staff reassess and determine the best path forward.

The concept study demonstrated the ability to accommodate the full program in the northern area of the park. This new plan exceeded the project budget requiring a phased approach to development. The concept study resulted in the Expansion Plan. 

During schematic design, staff reviewed numerous schemes and associated cost estimates. The decision was made to reallocate funding to the Biltmore Hills project with the goal of funding 8 new tennis courts and renovated parking lot, while allowing for future addition of a tennis center building and site amenities. Schematic Design Plan.

The Office of Raleigh Arts is coordinating the inclusion of public art into the project and allocated $40,000 as part of the One percent for Public Art Program.