The Bath & Racquet Club, tucked behind Trader Joe’s on Tamiami Trail, may soon reclaim its status as a destination for tennis enthusiasts. Following years of planning, tweaking and ownership changes, and with demolition complete, the club is set to break ground soon on a roughly $200 million redevelopment. When finished, it will be known as Bath + Racquet Residences & Club.

The revamped facility will bring 13 outdoor tennis courts and 16 pickleball-paddle courts, with 12 of those being indoors in a climate-controlled, 32,000-square-foot facility. Former world No. 2 tennis pro Tommy Haas is collaborating with the project’s development team, Sarasota Springs LLC, to lead the programming. Akin to golf pros lending their star status and smarts to projects like Soleta, Haas will be involved with the design and will help curate the coaching experience and day-to-day tennis operations, as well as invite in talent, from trainers to players.

Haas, who has called Bradenton home since 2004, brings a wealth of experience. His connection to the area dates back to his early days at the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy, where, starting at 11 years old, he trained under the legendary late tennis coach Nick Bollettieri. (The school later became IMG Academy.) Today, Haas is the tournament director of the BNP Paribas Open in California.

"My goal is to continue to give back to the game and help the next generation of players," says Haas. "We will welcome players to train here, whether they aspire to be the best or simply want to enjoy the sport in a world-class environment."

"It’s my first time putting my touch on a facility and making it flow," he continues. "It's about creating an intimate, amazing club where members feel at home. We're bringing in the best coaches, staff and amenities to make this place the place to be."

"This is a long-term commitment for me," Haas adds. "Sarasota and Bradenton have a special place in my heart, and I'm excited to be part of this project for the long haul."

The Bath & Racquet Club's redevelopment is not just about sports—it's also bringing a total of 256 residential units, with 33 of those units set aside to be rented at attainable rates for those earning 120 percent or less of the area median income, which comes to no more than $2,715 a month for a two-bedroom unit and no more than $3,136 a month for a three-bedroom unit. The for-purchase market-rate units range from one-bedroom condos starting at $710,000 to three-bedroom units priced at more than $1.3 million.

In addition to the residential units, the development will feature 65,000 square feet of commercial and office space, a 4,500-square-foot restaurant, a 7,000-square-foot gym and wellness center, two oversized pools and a two-acre park with a walking and running trail open to the public. The attainable units, park and trail were part of what tipped the scale for Sarasota city commissioners when they voted on the project, which faced some opposition from nearby residents worried about increased traffic and the need for buffering near the surrounding residential neighborhoods.

The tennis club will be for members only, but anyone can buy in, says Fabio Di Prima, Sarasota Springs' managing partner. However, it’s still too early to share membership prices. Sarasota Springs acquired the property in January 2022 for almost $15.4 million.

As for commercial tenants, Di Prima envisions health and fitness services. “The health aspect is significant, so maybe a medical office, healthy foods and services like a pharmacy, for example," he says.

Di Prima is originally from Italy; this is his first Sarasota project. “We got introduced to the deal by some people we know based in New York," he says. "They were tennis-related friends who knew members of the old Bath & Racquet Club, then they kindly introduced us. We talked to the city and here we are.” Although he enjoys watching tennis, he admits to being what he calls an “entry-level” player.

Nearly 100 units have sold so far. Will Haas have a unit on-site? "We'll wait and see," he says. "The renderings are tempting, but at the same time, the home I have here is the first house I ever bought and still close to what's now IMG. I'm attached to it, but you never know."

Founded in 1969, the original Bath & Racquet Club had long been cherished by Sarasota’s tennis community. Over the years, it hosted prestigious events, including the Virginia Slims of Sarasota women’s tennis tournament, making it a key player in the early development of women's professional tennis with legends like Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova playing on its green clay courts. It was also a social hub for families for generations, a place where locals played tennis and racquetball, took lessons, swam and worked out in the fitness center.

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