A brewing controversy over a proposed P1-billion renovation of the club’s tennis facilities has exposed growing tensions between the club’s current officers and members who believe the project is being pushed through without adequate consultation—and possibly without the approval required for a capital expenditure of such magnitude.
The proposal itself is not what has many members upset. Few dispute that the tennis complex, now about 50 years old, needs upgrading. What shocked many was the price tag.
During a recent meeting called by the tennis committee, members expecting a routine update on renovation plans were instead presented with what some described as a sweeping redevelopment plan centered on a new building and extensive reconstruction works.
For many attendees, the staggering price tag alone was enough to trigger questions. Some wondered why a project budgeted last year had apparently not been revisited despite changing economic conditions and construction costs — indications, one member said, that the tennis committee and the board are possibly naive, inexperienced or unprofessional when it comes to undertakings of this nature.
Others questioned whether a more modest renovation or alternative proposals had even been seriously considered. But the bigger issue, according to several members, was the process. Sources said there was an attempt during the meeting to secure a show of hands in support of the project, which would then be presented to the board as evidence of member backing. That did not go over well.
Critics argued that a gathering of several dozen tennis players could hardly be treated as a mandate for a project that could ultimately affect a club membership estimated at around 2,000.
The controversy intensified when concerns surfaced that management hoped to secure board approval and begin work before obtaining ratification from the broader membership during the club’s annual general meeting later this year. To some members, that sequence appeared backward.
The proposal would reportedly take as many as 10 of the club’s 15 tennis courts out of service for nearly two years, creating further concern among regular players.
For now, the loudest question echoing around the club is no longer whether the facilities should be improved. It’s whether a project of this size should proceed without first winning the confidence—and approval—of the members who ultimately own the club.
Senior Reporter
