Trump hopes to beautify nation’s capital; DC residents concerned about losing public access

President Trump is hoping to beautify public tennis and golf facilities in the nation’s capital as one of the city’s prized tennis tournaments is set to begin amid concerns about disenfranchising access for longtime patrons.The D.C. Open returns for its 57th year at the William H.G. FitzGerald Tennis Center from July 25 to Aug. 2 in Rock Creek Park. Trump plans to lease another section of parkland to expand the facility, which is maintained by the National Park Service. He is also working on plans to remodel Hains Point Peninsula’s East Potomac Golf Links, a public golf course, into an 18-hole championship course. 
However, some local residents say they don’t want to see such changes. 
‘Save East Po’ is a DMV-based, independent, grassroots coalition made up of local residents expressing dissent toward the plans.
“The regulars who’ve played this muni for years would lose their course; the runners, cyclists, picnickers, and fishers who use the rest of the peninsula would lose access and open space,” Save East Po’s website says. “We’re not anti-golf, we’re pro-muni, pro-park, and pro-public access.”
Likewise, the National Park Service expressed concerns about the land that Trump wants to lease for Rock Creek Park. The Park Service’s associate regional director for lands and planning, Tammy Stidham, wrote in an email that the expanded area included recreational fields in a threatened-and-endangered species habitat, picnic areas and parking lots used for public recreation.
The owner of the D.C. Open, Mark Ein, has for years pushed for improvements to the tennis facilities at Rock Creek Park, including calls to the D.C. government and NPS. He said D.C. is in jeopardy of losing the tournament, which in the past three years has included pro stars such as Venus Williams and Andy Roddick.
“They know we’re on the right track,” Ein said of the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) Tour. “They know we’re committed, but they’re not going to wait forever. These events are highly sought after, by cities around the globe.”
Ein said the D.C. Open is trying to ‘dress things up’ for the tournament.
“People will see a whole bunch of temporary stuff,” Ein told the Post. “We’re going to add LED signs, and they’ll see temporary things.”
Interior Department Secretary Doug Burgum released the proposed redesign for the East Potomac course in a post on X, saying it will maintain “affordable, highly discounted rates.”

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