New tennis club moving into Baywinds

PERKINS TWP. — Brad Lynch hopes to serve the community with his new top-of-the-line indoor tennis club. Lynch plans to renovate the former Baywinds Athletic Club — located off Milan Road (U.S. 250) behind the former Maui Sands — to reopen it as Court 1 Tennis by late this fall. "Indoor tennis has taken a backseat in this community for quite a while, and we're excited to help build the sport within a renovated facility," Lynch said. Lynch grew up playing tennis at Baywinds and returned to the facility as a coach after college. He's a licensed coach who has worked with athletes at junior and college levels. It's been his goal for years to operate a tennis club offering top-notch courts, clinics and lessons for all skill levels and ages. He got the chance to make his dream a reality when Hoty Enterprises — which recently purchased the Baywinds property for $650,000 — agreed to lease the facility. "My wife and I grew up playing at Baywinds," Lynch said. "We've been trying to purchase it and revamp it for the past 13 years, and it finally came true." Before opening, Court 1 Tennis will do a complete renovation of the six-court facility. "It's been a good 30 years since the club has seen any major influx of dollars," Lynch said. "Everything from the floor to the roof is in pretty poor condition." Renovation plans include structural enhancements, new locker rooms, court resurfacing and new reflective light and liner system to brighten the playing area. "It's being gutted and redone as speak," Lynch said. He estimated the cost of renovations on just the interior of the building would be about $500,000. The club will have tennis leagues and tournaments at various levels. It will also showcase other net games like pickleball, which is growing in popularity.