Grand National Village Pool and Tennis Complex

Opelika, Alabama

The pool and tennis complex was designed by GMC as an added amenity for the Auburn Marriott Opelika Hotel & Conference Center at Grand National in Opelika, Alabama. The zero-entry pool area features a lazy river, rock grotto with waterfalls and a water slide, pavilion with snack bar, restroom building, outdoor showers, cabana, trellises and water fountain bubblers. The tennis complex includes eight clay tennis courts, making it an ideal location for tourists and tennis tournaments and allowing the city of Opelika to compete with other larger cities to host various tennis tournaments. The tennis center also features four courts for pickleball, a pro-shop, amphitheater seating for spectators and parking. Siting of the tennis courts required diligent study to address grade change, ADA accessibility and proximity of the Robert Trent Jones Golf Course. Landscape Architects also had to accommodate the more than 30’ of grade change on the tennis/pickleball site. The pool and tennis complex is a significant addition to Grand National as a hotel and resort destination. Private memberships to the pool and tennis club are offered to the residents of the Grand National Community. The presence of the hotel, golf course and residential community has significantly changed the perception of Opelika as a place to live, work, play and retire. In July of 2015, several of the world’s top golfers visited Grand National in Opelika for the inaugural Barbasol Championship. The tournament was the largest professional sporting event to ever be held in Lee County and was projected to have an economic impact of $25 million for the region. GMC’s Landscape Architecture served as the Lead Designers for the project and was also responsible for all of the surrounding landscape and irrigation design.

Scope of Services
Architecture
Landscape