The Family Circle Tennis Center on Daniel Island has a new name.
The tennis facility, which is home to the WTA's Volvo Car Open, is now LTP Daniel Island.
Charleston businessman Ben Navarro's acquisition of Charleston Tennis LLC, which owns the Volvo Car Open and operates Family Circle Tennis Center, officially ended Family Circle Magazine's connections to the world class tennis complex.Â
The name change had to be approved by the City of Charleston, which still owns the facility, said Bob Moran, president of Charleston Tennis LLC. He also serves as tournament director of the Volvo Car Open.
Navarro also owns LTP Mount Pleasant, formerly known as LTP Tennis. In an effort to consolidate both operational and instructional assets of these two facilities, the name of the Daniel Island complex has been changed.
The billboard at the Daniel Island facility already has been changed according to Patrick Hieber, the director of tennis at both LTP facilities. The tennis complex was named Family Circle Tennis Center when the then-Family Circle Cup moved to Daniel Island from Hilton Head Island in 2001.
"I am very excited for what we are building at the LTP facilities," said Hieber, a native of Fulda, Germany. "The opportunity to work together with passionate and simply good people, just like a family, is what I really love about being part of LTP.
"Rob Eppelsheimer and Nancy Heinz have built an amazing culture at LTP Daniel Island, and Ina O’Rourke at LTP Mount Pleasant. I look forward to working with the teams at both facilities to deliver a consistent first-class experience."
Eppelsheimer is the longtime facilities director at the Daniel Island complex, while Heinz is the membership manager. O'Rourke is the club manager at LTP Mount Pleasant.
"Patrick brings an amazing amount of experience in all aspects of tennis operations from his work helping to grow the Randy Pate Tennis Academy to his experience as tournament director of multiple nationally recognized events," Moran said.
The Randy Pate Academy operates out of both LTP facilities.
Reach James Beck at jamesbecktennis@gmail.com.
