Steele Creek --World-class tennis players will hit the courts at The Palisades this fall, and organizers are already preparing.

The Championships at The Palisades, part of the Outback Champions Series, will be held at the Tim Wilkinson Signature Sports Complex Sept. 26-30.

The eight-man round-robin tournament features tennis champions 30 and older, including Pete Sampras, Jim Courier and Mats Wilander.

It's limited to Grand Slam singles finalists or champions, singles players on winning Davis Cup teams and players ranked in the top five in the world during their careers.

This summer, The Palisades and InsideOut Sports & Entertainment are working together to turn the club into a full-scale stadium.

"Thank goodness we've done it once before," said Jim Medall, president of Rhein Medall Communities, which is developing The Palisades.

This year, organizers have increased the stadium size by 20 percent to about 2,700 seats, thanks to the interest in last year's event, said Jon Venison, a partner with InsideOut Sports & Entertainment.

They've changed the parking so it's more consolidated and plan to build VIP skyboxes on top of the stands, he said.

The VIP area, modeled after one at a Houston Champions Series event, will allow sponsors courtside food and bar access.

Courts at The Palisades were designed with professional tournaments in mind, with television-ready lights, dimensions fit for international play and an open-air design to accommodate large crowds.

Last year's Championships at The Palisades was the first major tennis tournament in Charlotte in years. Before that, the city hosted Davis Cup, U.S. Clay Court Championships and Federation Cup matches.

The Palisades is sharing the cost of the multimillion-dollar tournament with corporate sponsors, ticket sales and other sources.

Medall signed a three-year commitment to hold the Champions Series at The Palisades.

Want to Go?

The Championships at The Palisades takes place Sept. 26-30 at the Tim Wilkinson Signature Sports Complex at The Palisades, off N.C. 49 near Buster Boyd Bridge. Tickets are available now by calling 877-332-TIXX (8499) or visiting www.championsseriestennis.com.Pete Sampras (center) and Jim Courier (right) are among the announced participants in this year's tournament. Todd Martin (left) is shown during a match last year.

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