The Astoria tennis bubble RFP is out — it's worse than we expected. 5 minutes to fight back.
Hi neighbors,
3,000+ of you signed. Thank you. Now we need one more small push. TL;DR: Write to the FRCR committee today. Here's a template for 1-click send (update your name at the bottom): astoriatennis.com/letter
THE RFP IS OFFICIAL
Parks issued the bubble RFP on June 12. Read it here: astoriatennis.com/rfp-document.pdf
- 20-year term. Longer than every other NYC tennis bubble (McCarren got 15)
- MINIMUM 8 courts bubbled. Parks previously assured the public that it would remain "free in winter and on 6 open courts" (meeting minutes). Nothing in the RFP stops all 14 from privatization.
- The operator gets a MINIMUM of 2 courts even in summer. Today, it's 1 teaching court, and the line to play already wraps around the block. Parks can hand over more courts "at its sole discretion," with zero public input.
- Bids are scored to reward the biggest build: Capital Investment is tied for the highest-weighted criterion (25%), incentivizing a larger bid and takeover. Community isn't a scored category at all.
WHAT YOU CAN DO RIGHT NOW (5 MIN)
This deal must pass the Franchise & Concession Review Committee — it needs 5 of 6 votes. Just 2 no votes will stop it.
→ Write to the committee: astoriatennis.com/letter
A few sentences in your own words go furthest — why the free courts matter to you, your family, your winters. Officials notice personal letters.
Short on time? Use our ready-to-send template. Just update your name at the bottom, and if you use Gmail, click the "M" button at the top and the email fills itself in.
THE CLOCK IS SHORT
Proposals are due July 17, and Parks interviews bidders the week of July 27. Letters sent this week land the hardest.