Southaven Approves $26.7 Million Indoor Tennis Facility
The Board of Aldermen selected an eight-court design from four options presented by UrbanARCH.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Tennis
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Southaven's Board of Aldermen approved the mayor's recommendation for an eight-court indoor tennis facility at its Nov. 3 meeting, at a cost of about $26.7 million. The approval lets the city's architects begin drawing up plans for the project.
Why it matters
The project commits a significant share of city funds and debt capacity to a single recreation facility, and the mayor urged caution over construction costs and borrowing. Tennis is a major tourism draw, according to the mayor, which is the rationale for the investment in Southaven.
The approved option is funded by about $11 million in leftover tourism tax revenue and roughly $16 million from a general obligation bond. The four UrbanARCH options ranged from $21.4 million for six courts to $40.2 million for 12 courts, and the mayor put remaining city debt capacity at 40 percent.
The players
Southaven Board of Aldermen
The elected governing body of the city of Southaven, Mississippi, which voted to approve the indoor tennis facility design.
UrbanARCH
The architectural firm that presented the four facility options to the Southaven board.
Raymond James
A national financial services firm whose bond attorneys are expected to advise the city on the bond financing.
The details
The facility will be built next to the existing Snowden Grove Tennis Complex. The city's land swap with SpaceXAI, which exchanged 51 acres on Tulane Road for 69 acres on Swinnea Road, provided cash that is held in a separate account from the city's capital improvement funds.
Timeline
Tuesday, Nov. 3: Board of Aldermen approves the eight-court, $26.7 million design.
December: Bond attorneys from Raymond James are expected to meet with the city.
Early 2027: Construction is expected to start once design and bidding are finished.
Season Trajectory
The facility extends Southaven's Snowden Grove Tennis Complex into a year-round indoor offering, which the mayor frames as a tourism draw. The project's cost is tied to the city's remaining debt capacity, which the mayor described as 40 percent.
Residents who play tennis should expect the indoor courts to open only after design, bidding and construction, with construction likely starting in early 2027. Any change to the existing Snowden Grove Tennis Complex during the build has not been announced.
The takeaway
Cities weighing large recreation projects must balance tourism upside against borrowing limits, and Southaven's approval shows how leftover tax revenue and bonds can be combined to fund one. The mayor's caution on costs suggests the final figures could still shift as design proceeds.
What happens next
Bond attorneys from Raymond James are expected to meet with the city in December, and construction is expected to begin in early 2027 after design and bidding are completed.
Further reading
For more on local court facilities, see the Tennis section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by DeSoto County News.
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