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politics10h ago
Trump’s Secret Tennis Center Plot Sparks Alarm
- The Trump administration moved to pursue a private lease of Rock Creek Park components, including the tennis center, under an accelerated timeline.
- Public records show officials discussed a private lease with investor Mark Ein, who chairs the DC Open, signaling a shift toward private control.
- Officials warned the plan could restrict public recreation and harm habitat for the federally protected Hay’s spring amphipod.
- Internal warnings about protecting park resources were reportedly raised but not prioritized in the push for a larger lease footprint.
- Interior Department spokespeople defended the lease as compliant with laws and regulations, downplaying concerns about park protection.
- The public record requests revealed a rapid, multi-month timeline to finalize a lease, raising questions about process and transparency.
- The project would extend beyond the tennis center to fields and roads, potentially shifting the park’s use toward private interests.
- The DC Open and its expansion requests have been a focal point of the discussions surrounding the lease.
- The Daily Beast reports sought comment from Ein’s camp but did not receive public remarks about the project.
- Experts warned the lease could house redevelopment that shifts park use toward commercial operations.
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