Tuscaloosa Woman’s Posthumous Gift to Add 3 More Courts to Expanding Tennis Center

The expansion of the Tuscaloosa Tennis Center will be even grander than planned, thanks to a posthumous gift from a woman who was committed to growing the sport in west Alabama.

Emily Baker was a beloved tennis advocate who Mayor Walt Maddox credits for pressuring him before and after the April 2011 tornado to invest in a dedicated facility for the sport.

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"Emily Baker is frankly the reason why we have the Tuscaloosa Tennis Center that exists today," Maddox said during a committee meeting last month. "It felt like I was meeting with her every six weeks to discuss why we don't have a tennis center in Tuscaloosa. And so after the tornado, we had an opportunity to build the tennis center with leftover insurance proceeds from Jaycee Park. And Miss Baker stepped up to the plate and donated a significant portion to that project."

So her dream became a reality at the Tuscaloosa Tennis Center in Alberta. As the Thread reported, extensive, $11 million upgrades are already underway at the center. It will add 17 new outdoor tennis courts, demolish old restrooms and install new ones, add a concession stand, a shaded pavilion, and more.

Baker died in July 2024, and Maddox said that after her death, her estate made a $1.2 million gift to the Tuscaloosa Tennis Center, with the request that it fund three new hard courts at the site.

With the gift from Baker and a grant city officials are confident they can earn, crews will be able to add three more courts than initially expected.

"Emily Baker’s passion and vision for tennis have been transformative for all of Tuscaloosa. Her generous initial gift helped bring the Tuscaloosa Tennis Center to life, and her last gift ensures it will continue to grow and serve future generations," Mayor Walt Maddox said in a statement to the Thread. "Ms. Baker didn’t just support this community, she believed in it, invested in it, and inspired all of us through her unwavering generosity. We are deeply grateful for all that she gave and all she inspired."

The three new courts had already been designed as optional additions to the budgeted upgrades, so they can be easily added to the work already underway. The hard courts will feature fencing, bleachers, lighting and other amenities.

For more coverage of news in West Alabama, stay connected to the Tuscaloosa Thread.