The Tennis Lodge
contact@thetennislodge.com
The Story Behind The Tennis Lodge
Founder Abby Wright Day started playing tennis when she was 3 years old. She was the only person other than Maria Sharapova to recieve a full scholarship at IMG/ Bolletteri Tennis Academy for six years at that time. What she learned from Nick Bolletteri is true work ethic, how to inspire others, and ultimately how to operate a world class tennis facility. She has spent her summers working at tennis clubs on Nantucket, Martha’s Vineyard, and in the Hamptons (LA & NYC year round) - multi-generational family clubs that have served as community institutions for more than a century. What she witnessed working thoughout her career fundamentally shaped her understanding of what a tennis facility could be.
These were places where families held memberships for decades, where belonging to the club was part of their identity. Children moved freely and safely throughout the grounds, knowing every family, and forming friendships that lasted a lifetime. There was a distinct feeling reminiscent of summers before the 2000s: marked by freedom, simplicity, and genuine human connection.
Weekly traditions such as Tennis Taco Tuesdays, $5 movie nights, and bingo brought the entire community together. It was a place where everyone knew one another’s names, stories, and families.
This experience was about belonging.
Around the same time, Abby’s husband, Ryan (and co-founder of The Tennis Lodge) was working at The Ranch in Montauk, a gallery space near Andy Warhol’s former estate. The Ranch demonstrated that art and culture can be presented in a more thoughtful and engaging way, reinforcing the idea that meaningful spaces are built through innovative thinking, and expanding traditional models into something new.
Together, these influences form The Tennis Lodge, a differentiated hospitality-driven tennis club that integrates sport, art, and community into a single, cohesive experience. Designed to foster long-term membership loyalty and multi-generational engagement, The Tennis Lodge redefines the traditional tennis facility by pairing high-quality programming with cultural relevance. It is a scalable model rooted in belonging, participation, and community driven value, positioned to perform not only as a destination but as a long term, investment-grade institution.
Imagine tennis being truly accessible - where you can drop in for a session after work or on a spur of the moment. The staff is always friendly and available for you to book a session. A place where you can be part of a vibrant community any day of the week and enjoy shared experiences. Your kids can play freely in a safe, engaging environment while learning movement, focus, and work ethic through obstacle courses and tennis lessons. Challenge your body with the latest techniques in bootcamp or yoga classes, watch professional tennis matches. For current/recent college players and aspiring/ competing pros, keep your game sharp, compete, and connect with other high-level players. We will have our pickleball courts in a seperate area of our campus.
At the heart of our clubhouse, a curated art gallery brings culture and creativity to every visit. Rotating exhibitions each quarter feature both emerging and established artists, ensuring there’s always something new to inspire conversation and curiosity. Just like our tennis courts, the gallery is a space for connection—where members can explore, appreciate, and experience art together, making every visit to The Tennis Lodge as enriching for the mind as it is for the body.
Our Promise to Members
You’ll find a fun, welcoming community where you can play tennis, join a workout, hold business meetings, work, or just enjoy the space. No matter the time of day, there’s always someone ready to hit with you (a pro or a friend)! Join a fitness class, tennis, or pickleball session anytime: it’s all here for you. If you’re a beginner, a 4.5, or a pro - you will find your place here.
Our target location is Sarasota County.
I know you’re ready to ask questions! Come start a conversation with us, we would love to hear from you.
Request our pitch deck if you are looking to invest;
contact@thetennislodge.com
Our Founders
Abby W. Day, Founder and Director, is a professional level tennis player, coach, and program innovator. She was a Division 1 #1 singles and doubles player, training on full scholarship at the IMG/Bollettieri Tennis Academy and The Pendleton School. Abby has coached at top seasonal and year-round programs across New York City, Los Angeles, Nantucket, and the Hamptons. She led the varsity team at The Crossroads School (in Santa Monica) to the state championship finals in California. She has led programs that have welcomed over a thousand players each summer, and she has also run successful adult programs, leagues and inter-club competitions that continue to thrive today. Her focus is to create the most exciting, fun and engaging experience you could have at a tennis club.
Abby combines her tennis expertise with creative vision. She holds an MA in Contemporary Photography and Philosophy from Central Saint Martins, London, and uses this perspective to design programs that foster both athletic growth and community engagement. Every program she has built has a high-level performance, teamwork, and vibrant culture, creating a tennis experience that is competitive and enduring. Under her leadership, the club is positioned to be a premier destination for players of all ages/ skill and a scalable model for long-term success.
Ryan Day, Co-Founder and General Manager, is an accomplished operations and leadership professional with extensive experience managing complex programs and teams. Over the past 13+ years, he has overseen multimillion-dollar exhibitions and cultural projects at museums, galleries, and creative institutions, leading teams and optimizing workflows, budgets, and logistics. Ryan has successfully launched and scaled programs (such as Sarasota Art Museum), coordinated large-scale installations, and ensured operational excellence across every project he leads.
Ryan combines strategic thinking with a design-forward approach to operations. He excels at creating efficient systems, fostering team performance, and delivering high-quality experiences at scale. In the context of the tennis club, Ryan ensures that every aspect of the operation, from membership programs to tournaments- is seamless, sustainable, and built for growth. Together with Abby, he helps turn the club’s vision into a high-performing destination for players of all ages.
Location:
TBD in Sarasota County
About Sarasota:
Sarasota is uniquely positioned to become the next great destination for tennis in the United States because it combines an established racquet sports culture with extraordinary demographic growth, international appeal, and a lifestyle-driven identity that aligns perfectly with The Tennis Lodge vision. The region already attracts year-round players across every age group, from junior athletes and collegiate competitors to active retirees and seasonal residents, creating a rare multigenerational tennis ecosystem. At the same time, Sarasota’s rapid population growth and influx of affluent new residents have created increasing demand for elevated recreational and wellness experiences that do not currently exist in the market. Unlike traditional private clubs or isolated training academies, Sarasota offers the opportunity to build a socially magnetic tennis destination that merges high-performance athletics, hospitality, design, culture, and community into a single environment. Its proximity to luxury coastal communities, international visitors, and established sports infrastructure makes it an ideal location for hosting tournaments, elite training, destination events, and experiential programming year-round. Sarasota’s identity as both a cultural capital and wellness-oriented coastal city creates the perfect foundation for The Tennis Lodge to become not just a club, but a landmark destination for contemporary tennis culture.
Siesta Key
A world-famous beach known for its sand made almost entirely of quartz crystal. This gives the shoreline its signature powder-soft texture and brilliant white color. The sand is cool to the touch even in peak sun.
Lakewood Ranch
A leading planned community in Sarasota and one of the fastest-growing master-planned communities in the United States, known for its thoughtful design, neighborhoods, and lifestyle amenities.
Longboat Key
Longboat Key is known for its private, serene beaches and understated luxury. The island is home to several five-star restaurants, including Harry’s Continental Kitchens, Euphemia Haye, Whitney’s, and Shore. At Shore, guests can even arrive by boat and dock directly before walking in for a table.
Longboat Key
Sarasota is a coastal Florida region where barrier islands, planned communities, and cultural institutions exist in close proximity, creating an unusual blend of nature, design, and the arts. It is known for quiet, wide beaches with minimal development.
An aerial view of Siesta Key
The Ringling Museum
The Ringling Museum is a local treasure and one of the cultural anchors that makes Sarasota so unique. It sits at the heart of the region’s identity as a destination deeply rooted in the arts, history, and creativity.
Downtown Sarasota
Downtown Sarasota is the city’s cultural and civic core, where the bayfront, theaters, galleries, and restaurants come together within a walkable grid. It’s home to a growing arts district, live performance spaces, and a mix of historic and contemporary architecture that reflects the city’s evolution. With Sarasota Bay at its edge and cultural institutions woven throughout, downtown acts as the connective tissue between the region’s coastal islands, neighborhoods, and broader creative identity.
After we open our flagship, we are looking to expand.
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