Nestled within Flushing Meadows Corona Park, the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center (NTC) stands as a testament to the location’s rich heritage and the historic 1939 and 1964 World’s Fairs. In the 1990s, ROSSETTI partnered with the USTA to craft a visionary campus plan, which expanded the existing facilities and integrated vital infrastructure to meet the needs of a growing audience. This included the design and construction of Arthur Ashe Stadium, the largest tennis-specific venue in the world at its completion. By 2009, as part of a comprehensive reimagination of the NTC campus, the USTA tasked ROSSETTI with designing a retractable roof for Ashe Stadium—one that would uphold the organization’s objectives of structural integrity, financial feasibility, operational efficiency, and aesthetic harmony.
The need for a roof had long been evident due to weather-related delays and cancellations that disrupted the US Open annually. These interruptions not only impacted one of the world’s premier sporting events but also led to fan dissatisfaction and challenges in maintaining corporate partnerships. Adding a retractable roof presented a host of technical challenges, as the original stadium was never engineered to support the weight and complexity of such a structure. Complicating matters further, the site’s poor soil conditions—a legacy of its history as a coal ash dump—required innovative solutions. Through extensive research and collaboration with WSP’s structural engineering team, ROSSETTI developed a lightweight roof concept that met all of the USTA’s critical objectives.
Respectful of the venue’s iconic architecture, the design integrates seamlessly with the existing stadium while structurally remaining completely independent. The roof appears as a natural extension of the stadium but is engineered to stand apart, minimizing visual and physical weight. Covering 236,600 square feet, the roof is supported by eight steel columns strategically placed around the stadium’s perimeter. A Teflon-coated fiberglass membrane (PTFE fabric) stretches across the frame, allowing the roof to open or close in under ten minutes. This innovative design preserves the outdoor feel of Arthur Ashe Stadium while providing on-demand protection from the elements.
Since its completion, the roof has elevated Arthur Ashe Stadium, enhancing its impact on the NTC campus and the US Open experience. Record-breaking attendance milestones have been achieved year after year, transforming the tournament into a dynamic blend of world-class tennis, social engagement, and cultural vibrancy. ROSSETTI’s partnership with the USTA has been instrumental in this evolution, combining innovative design with the needs of fans, athletes, and stakeholders. Building on this success, ROSSETTI continues to collaborate with the USTA on additional upgrades to ensure Arthur Ashe Stadium remains a global spectacle for generations to come.
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