The allocation of $9 million of Washington, D.C. taxpayers' funds for the FY 26 DC Budget to transfer the jurisdiction of the Rock Creek Tennis Center has raised significant concerns among the residents and stakeholders of our community, including in the wake of severe budgetary shortfalls exceeding $ 1 billion for years 2025 and 2026. This decision, made without the usual public budget hearing, appears to prioritize private commercial interests, particularly those associated with the Mubadala Citi DC Open, over public needs. A WAMU article ("Rock Creek Tennis Center could get new management — and an overhaul" by Alex Koma) reports that: "According to documents released via a public records request, Ein and the Citi Open’s ownership group presented the D.C. Council with a plan for improvements informing the $9 million figure lawmakers ultimately approved in their budget."   These DC taxpayers' funds are still earmarked for the transfer of jurisdiction, even though talks regarding a transfer of jurisdiction apparently failed after D. C. Officials reportedly walked away from the negotiations; nonetheless, the Executive Office of the Mayor is still trying to resurrect a transfer of jurisdiction concerning the Rock Creek Tennis Center.  

Instead, with the District facing significant budgetary shortfalls, we urge the D.C. government to abandon the transfer of jurisdiction measure, allow the funds to return to the General Fund of the District of Columbia as part of the 2026 fiscal year-end close, and re-appropriate or for the Mayor to reprogram this substantial amount of D.C. taxpayers' funds toward initiatives, including underfunded initiatives, that will serve the broader public good. We propose reallocating these funds to the University of the District of Columbia (UDC), the second-oldest HBCU in the country and the only public university in D.C., to enhance its athletic programs and upgrade them to Division 1 status. Such improvements would not only elevate UDC's national profile and competitiveness, but also provide more opportunities for students to engage in high-caliber collegiate sports, fostering both academic and personal growth.  It could increase the school's athletic revenue through television/media contracts, larger corporate sponsorships, and increased ticket sales.

Alternatively, these D.C. taxpayers' funds could be allocated for academic scholarships at UDC, supporting the educational aspirations of countless students from various socioeconomic backgrounds. Investing in UDC would yield long-term gains for our community, bolstering the university's capacity to produce future leaders and contributors to our society.

UDC has historically served as a cornerstone for public education in Washington, D.C., and channeling resources into its development will affirm our commitment to maintaining an equitable and thriving public educational institution. This is a chance to empower our community through education and sports, paving paths of opportunity for current and future generations.

In contrast, the investment in the transfer of jurisdiction of Rock Creek Tennis Center, would largely benefit wealthy, private commercial interests in a public park, potentially excluding the broader community from enjoying activities (as it does now), like imbibing the officially protected natural habitat, or partaking in hiking, picnicking, jogging, playing soccer or touch football, sunbathing and learning how to drive. The community's long-term gains are more aligned with supporting education and the public university system, paving the way for societal advancement and equal opportunities for all, and protecting and preserving Rock Creek Park as a public park, for the enjoyment and benefit of the people of the United States, not only for a few, in a de facto privatized zone.  We believe that this latter vision, rather than the former one, involving a transfer of jurisdiction and the use of $9 million of D.C. taxpayers' funds for that purpose, which could lead to at least de facto privatization of a public park for private gain, is what Arthur Ashe would want if he were alive today, and is actually consistent with Arthur Ashe's legacy.

The allocation of public funds should reflect the values and needs of the community, emphasizing equitable access to education and fostering community development. Therefore, we urge local authorities and decision-makers to reconsider this funding decision and prioritize allocating these resources to support UDC's growth and the students' futures.

The proposal to transfer jurisdiction of the Rock Creek Tennis Center, located in a serene and ecologically delicate park area, for the expansion of the Tennis Center and possible building of a sportsplex to accommodate the Mubadala Citi DC Open, threatens the environmental and recreational value that this beloved site offers. D.C. government officials must reconsider their current trajectory and instead advocate for relocating the tournament to a more suitable location, prioritizing existing city-controlled sites as alternative venues.

Located in the heart of Washington, D.C., Rock Creek Park is a national Federal Park, a treasured natural oasis, offering a respite from urban life to both residents and visitors. Transforming sections of this park to support large-scale sporting events disregards its critical role as a habitat for wildlife and a haven for those seeking outdoor leisure. Instead of disrupting this ecological gem, we should look to more appropriate venues that are designed to handle such developments. 

The planned RFK Campus is an environmentally conscious, already city-controlled alternative for expansion of the Mubadala Citi DC Open.  Situated on a brownfield site, over half (52%) of the RFK area consists of concrete and asphalt, making it a more suitable location for development, without further disrupting the natural environment. This site not only minimizes ecological harm, but also aligns with the principles of sustainable development and urban regeneration.  It is already earmarked for large events and will include a sportsplex, a Commanders stadium, which will also be a multipurpose, year-round, enclosed venue, at least two parking garages, and is already served by the Stadium-Armory Metrorail station.  A second potential Metrorail station is also being considered around Oklahoma Avenue and Benning Road, to serve the large crowds anticipated at the RFK Site.  With existing plans and infrastructure that are adaptable for hosting events as significant as the Citi DC Open (i.e., see the Miami Open/Hard Rock Stadium model), relocating the tournament here caters to the growing aspirations of the tournament, without compromising our environmental responsibilities. It allows for the expansion and redevelopment desired by certain stakeholders, while preserving Rock Creek Park's environmental and recreational integrity.  

The planned RFK Stadium Campus also presents a unique opportunity for economic development. Slated to be surrounded by planned mixed-use developments, the future stadium within the planned campus, has the potential to generate substantial long-term tax revenue that Rock Creek Tennis Center, located in a National Federal Park, and surrounded by single-use residential neighborhoods that are zoned for protection of quiet residential areas or controlling expansion of nonresidential uses, cannot match. Furthermore, relocating the high-profile, annual Citi DC Open to the RFK Stadium Campus would bring its associated jobs and spending directly to the Ward 5,  Ward 7, and Ward 8 communities, while benefiting the entire District as a whole.  (The RFK deal includes a $50 million community benefits agreement, with 51% local hiring requirements that the Citi DC Open could possibly be subject to, if it was relocated to the RFK Campus.  By contrast, we are not aware of any community benefits agreement that the Mubadala Citi DC Open has had, currently has or will have with Ward 4 communities, while being hosted at the Rock Creek Tennis Center.)  By relocating and hosting the tournament in this RFK Stadium Campus location, we can stimulate economic growth, create jobs, and enhance the city's overall financial health.

Please sign this petition to call on our city officials to prioritize UDC and redirect the $9 million in taxpayers' funds to support the university's athletic programs or academic scholarships, ensuring these funds support a more inclusive and beneficial cause (an actual public good), for our society.  Please also sign this petition to ensure our leaders prioritize sustainable development and protection of our Rock Creek Park.  Your support can make a difference in steering our city towards a more fiscally responsible, environmentally sustainable and equitable future.