Charlotte lands Women’s Tennis Association Finals, HQ and potential annual event

CHARLOTTE — Charlotte has landed one of the top events in tennis- the Women’s Tennis Association Finals. The Charlotte Sports Foundation announced Wednesday that Charlotte has landed the WTA Finals from 2027-2029.

The season-ending championship will be played at the Spectrum Center. WTA is also relocating its global headquarters to Charlotte and is promising an annual WTA 500 event after 2029 if a dedicated tennis stadium is built.

“This is a transformational moment for Charlotte and for our organization,” CEO of the Charlotte Sports Foundation Will Pitts said. “Bringing the WTA Finals to our city is a testament to what Charlotte has become as a world-class sports destination, and we are incredibly grateful to the WTA for their trust and partnership in making this vision a reality.”

Gov. Josh Stein, the Charlotte Sports Foundation and the WTA are holding a press conference Wednesday afternoon to officially announce the deal.

“We’re bringing tennis. We’re bringing superstar athletes known the world over on a one-name basis, and we can’t wait for the whole world to tune in and experience what I have come to know and love over the last six months as the greatness of Charlotte and the state of North Carolina,” WTA Chair Valerie Camillo told Channel 9. “Our ambition is for the WTA Finals to not only be the premier championship in women’s tennis, but one of the defining global events in women’s sports.”

The announcement Wednesday is the result of intense months long recruitment push led by the Charlotte Sports Foundation. It included visits to Charlotte and Raleigh. Billie Jean King met with lawmakers and Governor Josh Stein.

“People were just swarming to her to get a photo or to have a moment with her,” she said. “It was really something to see. I described it when I went back to the office as, it was like walking through an airport with a rock star.”

The success of the Charlotte Invitational played a huge role. Tens of thousands attended the scrimmages at the Spectrum Center. That strong showing combined with the city’s $235 million renovation project left a great impression on the WTA. The WTA Finals will be at the Spectrum Center and there will be community programming at the Charlotte Convention Center. The WTA Finals are currently in Saudi Arabia.

“It’s a week-long celebration and competition that will be incredible for our community,” Pitts said. “It will drive significant economic impacts and obviously add to the quality of life for our community.”

WTA hasn’t finalized the location of its headquarters but employs about 130 people. Pitts says talks are ongoing with the city and county about building a dedicated tennis stadium. No location has been finalized.

“This gives us the catalyst and the partnership to make that dream a reality and we’re excited to continue to work on that for the months to come,” Pitts said.

Charlotte City Council has discussed WTA twice in closed session.

The WTA Finals will showcase Charlotte across more than 190 countries. Previous host cities include New York City, Los Angeles, Madrid, Singapore and Riyadh.

A WTA 500 event, which Charlotte will host if a stadium is built, is the second-highest tier of WTA tournaments, featuring many of the world’s top-ranked players competing for significant ranking points and prize money. The Credit One Charleston Open is a WTA 500 event.

In her conversation with Channel 9, Camillo touted Charlotte’s interest in tennis.

“We know that there are more courts per capita in the Charlotte region than anywhere else in the United States, which is a phenomenal stat,” she said. “It is one of the top markets for play in the United States recreationally through the USTA. So we know that the attention and the care for tennis exists within this community in a profound way.”

Her vision is for the WTA Finals to be a Super Bowl-like event.

“I say that because it’s something that everyone really can understand, because it’s more than just about the competition,” she said. “It’s the convening event around which an entire industry coalesces. So for us, that’s bringing together women’s tennis, women’s sports, and women’s sports business in Charlotte as we grow out the WTA Finals.”

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