Greenspring Racquet Club Needs Millions to Relocate or Close Forever

TOWSON, Md. (WJZ)-- It's the end of an era for a well-loved athletic facility near Towson.

As Mike Schuh reports, the owner needs millions to relocate.

Janet Paulsen owns the Greenspring Racquet Club, one of the largest tennis centers on the east coast.

She faces group investors who own the building and property. The property is adjacent to it is Hopkins Greenspring, which is expanding and bought the tennis center for a lot of zeros.

"They're turning it into a surgical center. The building goes away in the next couple of months. They are demolishing it," Paulsen said.

That will leave a void. Thousands of school kids, some with special needs, come to learn the game of tennis, where they practice or hone skills that could last a lifetime.

"There's not a lot of places around that you can house a lot of kids to play tennis and have a good safe environment and learn from some of the best pro's in the State and really have fun and learn the game," said Rich Stichel of Stemmers Run Middle School.

The courts close at the end of the month. There is a plan to relocate to Owings Mills, but there's one problem, money.

"$2 million or more would be fantastic, but the facility will cost 12 million," Paulsen said.

Little of that has been raised, but Paulsen says she feels like she's close to having a donor come forward.

"We really need to care. We really need to have that passion and I have a dream and I think we can make it happen I really do," she said.

A going away party and kick-off to the effort to raise money will be held at the club Saturday night, April 22nd.

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