Beemok Capital, the family office of Charleston-based businessman and philanthropist Benjamin Navarro, announced today the decision to keep the Western & Southern Open at the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason, just outside Cincinnati, for another 25 years.
“The passion and commitment of this community to keep the tournament here was an undeniable factor in our decision to stay,” Navarro said. “The city of Mason, Warren County, the state of Ohio and multiple corporate entities demonstrated their unwavering support for the tennis tournament. This tournament and its history are special. We’re excited to add to its legacy and create a world-class tennis experience for players and fans.”
Founded in 1899, the tournament is the nation’s longest-running professional tennis tournament played in its city of origin. This means the best players in tennis have been coming to Ohio since before the existence of most major American sporting events, including the World Series, the Masters, Rose Bowl, the Davis Cup, and the Indianapolis 500. The tournament will celebrate 125 years next year and, with this commitment, will eventually celebrate 150 years of competition in Ohio.
This premier tennis event is an ATP Masters 1000 and a WTA 1000 tournament. It’s one of the world’s nine biggest tournaments where both men and women compete at the same time.
Beemok Capital acquired the tournament in October 2022 from the United States Tennis Association and soon thereafter began evaluating the opportunity to keep it in its current location or relocate it to Charlotte.
“The leaders in Charlotte and the state have been incredible partners as we’ve evaluated our options. This was a very difficult decision, and we are deeply appreciative of the time, energy and resources that were invested alongside us,” Navarro said. “We have strong ties to the area and will look for ways to invest in the community and local tennis development in the future.”
Beemok Capital is finalizing plans to make significant investments in the facilities and experience. In 2023, the tournament debuted a new fan zone and upgraded player areas in addition to new food and drink offerings, more entertainment, and a variety of activities to complement the tournament’s world-class field of players. The impact was evident; the 2023 tournament broke records, exceeded expectations and set a new benchmark for success. However, that was just a small sample of what is to come given the pending renovation and tournament expansion slated for 2025. At that time, the tournament will expand in size and duration, extending from nine to 12 days and growing the single player draw from 56 to 96 players, making it an even more significant date on the tennis calendar.
