CC 11-19-2024 Item No. 12 Award a contract to Lifetime Activities for Sports Center_Written CommunicationsCC 11-19-2024
Item No. 12
Award a contract to
Lifetime Activities Inc. for
Sports Center
Written Communications
From:Mary Green
To:City Council; City Clerk
Cc:santo_a_rao@yahoo.com
Subject:CSC proposed changes
Date:Monday, November 18, 2024 11:50:22 AM
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless
you recognize the sender and know the content is safe.
Dear City Clerk,
Please include the below in written communications for the 11/19/24 city council meeting:
As an annual pass holder of the Cupertino Sports Center I am writing to the city council to hold off approval of
plans to convert courts 9 and 10 to pickle ball courts and the awarding of a long term contract to Lifetime Tennis to
handle court reservations. These two issues should be more fully understood and with a new council taking over in
the coming month they should handle this matter next term.
Some issues around the pickleball conversion pertain to parking availability. We are presently very limited at times
for parking spots. Because pickleball courts hold more players compared to tennis in a smaller space there is
potentially more people who will need to park their cars. The parking lot cannot accommodate so many players’
cars.
Thank you for your consideration.
—Mary
Mary Green
From:Peggy Griffin
To:City Council
Cc:City Clerk
Subject:2024-11-19 City Council Meeting AGENDA ITEM 12 - 10yr Lifetime Activities $24M - PULL ITEM #12
Date:Sunday, November 17, 2024 11:53:14 PM
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you
recognize the sender and know the content is safe.
PLEASE INCLUDE THIS EMAIL AND ANY ATTACHMENTS AS PART OF WRITTEN
COMMUNICATIONS FOR THE ABOVE MEETING AGENDA ITEM.
Dear City Councilmembers,
REQUEST: Please PULL CONSENT ITEM #12-Lifetime Activities Inc contract.
REASONS:
$24M contract under CONSENT!!! Seriously!?!?
Buried in this contract are CIP projects that have NOT BEEN put on the Work Plan, or
been discussed or been approved! They are being slipped in as part of a 20 page, 10-
year contract!
Buried in this contract is an implied approval to convert Tennis Courts #9 and #10 to
pickleball courts WITHOUT any public discussion or input!
Pickleball courts are LOUD and invasive to the neighbors. This is a change in use
with NO PUBLIC INPUT!
It’s a change in use at a place where the tennis courts are highly used! I have
never seen the tennis courts empty!
Buried in this contract is the mention of installing new neighbor-friendly LED lights for
Tennis Courts #16 and #17.
There is no CIP project for this change.
There is no design guidelines for this change.
It goes beyond the City Work Plan!
Financial Reporting – should include by the class reporting yet what is listed is “gross
revenues”.
“Contractor’s right to give private lessons on any court” – there is no mention of the
city’s compensation when this is done nor the city’s ability to reject this use since it is
the contractor’s responsibility to schedule the courts!
There is NO YEARLY REVIEW/EVALUATION on the contractor’s performance! No metrics
to measure their success.
PLEASE PULL ITEM #12 and discuss this contract. At the very least
Remove the CIP projects
Reduce the length of time of the contract.
Consider the alternative proposal.
Sincerely,
Peggy Griffin
From:Xindi Xu
To:Rachelle Sander; City Council; Pamela Wu; City Clerk
Subject:Request to Pull Agenda Item 12 from Consent Calendar for Further Review
Date:Sunday, November 17, 2024 7:16:37 PM
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you
recognize the sender and know the content is safe.
Dear Mayor Mohan, Cupertino City Council Members, City Manager
Wu, and Parks & Rec Director Sanders,
I urge the City Council to pull Agenda Item 12 from the consent calendar
for the 11/19/24meeting and, if possible, to continue the item to a future
date when the newly elected council is in session.
Agenda Item 12 proposes substantial changes that should not be approved
without thorough discussion.
Key Objection: Converting Tennis Courts to Pickleball
I strongly oppose the proposal to convert Courts 9 and 10 at the Cupertino
Sports Center (CSC) from tennis to pickleball.
1. Historic Use: These courts have served tennis players for over 30
years.
2. High Demand: Courts are oversubscribed, with bookings filling up
within seconds of opening each week.
3. Noise Concerns: Pickleball generates significant noise, disrupting
nearby tennis activities.
4. Existing Facilities: Pickleball facilities are already available at
Memorial Park and De Anza College.
5. Out-of-Town Usage: A majority of pickleball players at CSC come
from outside Cupertino.
Concerns with Lifetime's Contract Renewal
A 10-year contract renewal for Lifetime is excessive and should be
reconsidered. Contracts should be limited to five years or fewer to ensure
better terms and vendor accountability.
Performance Issues with Lifetime:
1. Court Maintenance: Courts are not cleaned bi-weekly as required by
the current contract. Logs and photographic evidence of compliance
should be audited.
2. Reservations: The city should retain control of court reservations
instead of outsourcing to Lifetime, whose service quality is subpar in
other cities like Santa Clara and Sunnyvale.
3. Tennis Instruction: Lifetime’s programs have failed to produce
players of high school junior varsity or varsity-level competency,
unlike Gorin Tennis Academy, which has a proven record of
excellence.
4. Capital Improvements: The promised $500,000 lacks clear details
and member input, with pickleball courts being an unwanted proposal.
5. Past Damage: Court 12 was damaged by Lifetime’s improper use for
non-tennis activities (e.g., hosting ping pong).
6. Revenue Sharing: A 10%-12% revenue share is insufficient. The city
could achieve higher returns by exploring alternative vendors like
Gorin or directly managing some services.
Recommendations:
1. Retain Tennis Courts: Do not convert Courts 9 and 10 from tennis to
pickleball.
2. Revisit Vendor Options: Consider Gorin Tennis Academy for
superior tennis instruction and revenue potential.
3. Shorter Contract Term: Limit any contract to five years or fewer.
4. Audit Performance: Evaluate Lifetime’s compliance with
maintenance and service standards before renewal.
5. Transparent Improvements: Explicitly specify all
Capital improvements to CSC and limit these to be relevant and
specific to the needs of CSC users with a focus on tennis court
improvements.
Given these significant concerns, I respectfully request the Council to:
Pull Agenda Item 12 from the consent calendar.
Direct staff to continue the item to a later date for comprehensive
review and reconsideration.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
Xindi Xu
From:Akshaya Padhi
To:Rachelle Sander; City Council; Pamela Wu; City Clerk
Subject:Request to Pull Agenda Item 12 from Consent Calendar for Further Review
Date:Sunday, November 17, 2024 6:32:39 PM
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you
recognize the sender and know the content is safe.
Dear Mayor Mohan, Cupertino City Council Members, City Manager
Wu, and Parks & Rec Director Sanders,
I urge the City Council to pull Agenda Item 12 from the consent calendar
for the 11/19/24meeting and, if possible, to continue the item to a future
date when the newly elected council is in session.
Agenda Item 12 proposes substantial changes that should not be approved
without thorough discussion.
Key Objection: Converting Tennis Courts to Pickleball
I strongly oppose the proposal to convert Courts 9 and 10 at the Cupertino
Sports Center (CSC) from tennis to pickleball.
1. Historic Use: These courts have served tennis players for over 30
years.
2. High Demand: Courts are oversubscribed, with bookings filling up
within seconds of opening each week.
3. Noise Concerns: Pickleball generates significant noise, disrupting
nearby tennis activities.
4. Existing Facilities: Pickleball facilities are already available at
Memorial Park and De Anza College.
5. Out-of-Town Usage: A majority of pickleball players at CSC come
from outside Cupertino.
Concerns with Lifetime's Contract Renewal
A 10-year contract renewal for Lifetime is excessive and should be
reconsidered. Contracts should be limited to five years or fewer to ensure
better terms and vendor accountability.
Performance Issues with Lifetime:
1. Court Maintenance: Courts are not cleaned bi-weekly as required by
the current contract. Logs and photographic evidence of compliance
should be audited.
2. Reservations: The city should retain control of court reservations
instead of outsourcing to Lifetime, whose service quality is subpar in
other cities like Santa Clara and Sunnyvale.
3. Tennis Instruction: Lifetime’s programs have failed to produce
players of high school junior varsity or varsity-level competency,
unlike Gorin Tennis Academy, which has a proven record of
excellence.
4. Capital Improvements: The promised $500,000 lacks clear details
and member input, with pickleball courts being an unwanted proposal.
5. Past Damage: Court 12 was damaged by Lifetime’s improper use for
non-tennis activities (e.g., hosting ping pong).
6. Revenue Sharing: A 10%-12% revenue share is insufficient. The city
could achieve higher returns by exploring alternative vendors like
Gorin or directly managing some services.
Recommendations:
1. Retain Tennis Courts: Do not convert Courts 9 and 10 from tennis to
pickleball.
2. Revisit Vendor Options: Consider Gorin Tennis Academy for
superior tennis instruction and revenue potential.
3. Shorter Contract Term: Limit any contract to five years or fewer.
4. Audit Performance: Evaluate Lifetime’s compliance with
maintenance and service standards before renewal.
5. Transparent Improvements: Explicitly specify all
Capital improvements to CSC and limit these to be relevant and
specific to the needs of CSC users with a focus on tennis court
improvements.
Given these significant concerns, I respectfully request the Council to:
Pull Agenda Item 12 from the consent calendar.
Direct staff to continue the item to a later date for comprehensive
review and reconsideration.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
Akshaya Padhi
From:HAROLD BARCLAY
To:Rachelle Sander; City Council; Pamela Wu; City Clerk
Cc:santo_a_rao@yahoo.com; Tak Young
Subject:City council meeting 11/19
Date:Sunday, November 17, 2024 12:07:56 PM
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you
recognize the sender and know the content is safe.
Dear City Clerk,
Please include the below in written communications for the 11/19/24 city council meeting.
I have played tennis at the CSC for more than 25 years. Recently it has become more and more difficult to
get court time. I understand that there is a proposal to make two tennis courts into pickleball courts. Besides
reducing tennis court availability which is already scarce, the consent loud bonging will disturb
concentration on many of the other courts.
I understand that pickleball is sweeping the nation but I don’t want us tennis players to be swept away.
Best Regards,
Bud Barclay Cupertino resident since 1985
From:jack meyer
To:Rachelle Sander; City Council; Pamela Wu; City Clerk
Subject:Request to Pull Agenda Item 12 from Consent Calendar for Further Review
Date:Sunday, November 17, 2024 11:45:44 AM
Importance:High
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you
recognize the sender and know the content is safe.
Dear Mayor Mohan, Cupertino City Council Members, City Manager
Wu, and Parks & Rec Director Sanders,
I urge the City Council to pull Agenda Item 12 from the consent calendar
for the 11/19/24meeting and, if possible, to continue the item to a future
date when the newly elected council is in session.
Agenda Item 12 proposes substantial changes that should not be approved
without thorough discussion.
Key Objection: Converting Tennis Courts to Pickleball
I strongly oppose the proposal to convert Courts 9 and 10 at the Cupertino
Sports Center (CSC) from tennis to pickleball.
1. Historic Use: These courts have served tennis players for over 30
years.
2. High Demand: Courts are oversubscribed, with bookings filling up
within seconds of opening each week.
3. Noise Concerns: Pickleball generates significant noise, disrupting
nearby tennis activities. Noise is a huge issue when having tennis
courts and pickleball courts together. It’s completely unacceptable to
tennis players to have to listen to all that ball distracting noise. You
may not think it’s a big deal until you’ve played tennis next to one, but
it is.
4. Existing Facilities: Pickleball facilities are already available at
Memorial Park and De Anza College.
5. Out-of-Town Usage: A majority of pickleball players at CSC come
from outside Cupertino.
6. Find new spaces: I understand there is a demand for pickleball courts
but taking tennis courts away is not the answer. Memorial park has a
large amount of lawn area that could be changed over to provide
exclusive pickleball access. Hybrid tennis/pickleball courts are not the
answer either. It’s hard playing tennis on these hybrid courts because
of the dual use of lines colored coded or not. It’s confusing and takes
your focus away from the game.
7. Court 17 & 18: I believe courts 17 & 18 are currently being used as
dual purposed courts. If anything were to be given to pickleball
players, it should be those courts. They are away from the Tennis
courts completely.
8. The Truth of the matter: No tennis courts should be given up for
pickleball if we are going to be fair about this. As noted above line
item #6, that football field sized area on the east side of Memorial park
could easily accommodate multiple pickleball courts and still have a
sizeable amount of field left for other use. This should be considered
first.
Concerns with Lifetime's Contract Renewal
A 10-year contract renewal for Lifetime is excessive and should be
reconsidered. Contracts should be limited to five years or fewer to
ensure better terms and vendor accountability.
Performance Issues with Lifetime:
1. Court Maintenance: Courts are not cleaned bi-weekly as required by
the current contract. Logs and photographic evidence of compliance
should be audited.
2. Reservations: The city should retain control of court reservations
instead of outsourcing to Lifetime, whose service quality is subpar in
other cities like Santa Clara and Sunnyvale.
3. Tennis Instruction: Lifetime’s programs have failed to produce
players of high school junior varsity or varsity-level competency,
unlike Gorin Tennis Academy, which has a proven record of
excellence.
4. Capital Improvements: The promised $500,000 lacks clear details
and member input, with pickleball courts being an unwanted proposal.
5. Past Damage: Court 12 was damaged by Lifetime’s improper use for
non-tennis activities (e.g., hosting ping pong).
6. Revenue Sharing: A 10%-12% revenue share is insufficient. The city
could achieve higher returns by exploring alternative vendors like
Gorin or directly managing some services.
Recommendations:
1. Retain Tennis Courts: Do not convert Courts 9 and 10 from tennis to
pickleball.
2. Revisit Vendor Options: Consider Gorin Tennis Academy for
superior tennis instruction and revenue potential.
3. Shorter Contract Term: Limit any contract to five years or fewer.
4. Audit Performance: Evaluate Lifetime’s compliance with
maintenance and service standards before renewal.
5. Transparent Improvements: Explicitly specify all
Capital improvements to CSC and limit these to be relevant and
specific to the needs of CSC users with a focus on tennis court
improvements.
Given these significant concerns, I respectfully request the Council to:
Pull Agenda Item 12 from the consent calendar.
Direct staff to continue the item to a later date for comprehensive
review and reconsideration.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
Jack Meyer
From:Johnson Fong
To:City Clerk
Subject:Cupertino Sports Center
Date:Sunday, November 17, 2024 9:32:59 AM
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless
you recognize the sender and know the content is safe.
Dear City Clerk,
Please do not convert Courts 9 and 10 into pickle ball courts at Cupertino Sports Center.
It’s better invested for Ct. 15 (across from the clubhouse).
This compromise will better serve the public. Thank you for your consideration.
Johnson Fong
From:Ione Low
To:City Clerk
Subject:CSC courts 9 & 10
Date:Sunday, November 17, 2024 8:19:47 AM
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless
you recognize the sender and know the content is safe.
Hi,
Please do not convert courts 9 & 10 at CSC to pickleball courts. It is difficult enough to get a tennis court to play on.
The noise would be terrible also.
There are plenty of pickleball courts on the other side starting with court 13.
Thanks,
Ione Low
Sent from my iPad
From:Tak Young
To:Rachelle Sander; City Council; Pamela Wu; City Clerk
Subject:Request to Pull Agenda Item 12 from Consent Calendar for Further Review
Date:Saturday, November 16, 2024 9:19:04 PM
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you
recognize the sender and know the content is safe.
Dear City Clerk,
Please include the below in written communications for the 11/19/24 city council meeting.
Thanks,
Tak K Young
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Mayor Mohan, Cupertino City Council Members, City Manager
Wu, and Parks & Rec Director Sanders,
I urge the City Council to pull Agenda Item 12 from the consent calendar
for the 11/19/24 meeting and, if possible, to continue the item to a future
date when the newly elected council is in session.
Agenda Item 12 proposes substantial changes that should not be approved
without thorough discussion.
Key Objection: Converting Tennis Courts to Pickleball
I strongly oppose the proposal to convert Courts 9 and 10 at the Cupertino
Sports Center (CSC) from tennis to pickleball.
1. Historic Use: These courts have served tennis players for over 30
years.
2. High Demand: Courts are oversubscribed, with bookings filling up
within seconds of opening each week.
3. Noise Concerns: Pickleball generates significant noise, disrupting
nearby tennis activities.
4. Existing Facilities: Pickleball facilities are already available at
Memorial Park and De Anza College.
5. Out-of-Town Usage: A majority of pickleball players at CSC come
from outside Cupertino.
Concerns with Lifetime's Contract Renewal
A 10-year contract renewal for Lifetime is excessive and should be
reconsidered. Contracts should be limited to five years or fewer to ensure
better terms and vendor accountability.
Performance Issues with Lifetime:
1. Court Maintenance: Courts are not cleaned bi-weekly as required by
the current contract. Logs and photographic evidence of compliance
should be audited.
2. Reservations: The city should retain control of court reservations
instead of outsourcing to Lifetime, whose service quality is subpar in
other cities like Santa Clara and Sunnyvale.
3. Tennis Instruction: Lifetime’s programs have failed to produce
players of high school junior varsity or varsity-level competency,
unlike Gorin Tennis Academy, which has a proven record of
excellence.
4. Capital Improvements: The promised $500,000 lacks clear details
and member input, with pickleball courts being an unwanted proposal.
5. Past Damage: Court 12 was damaged by Lifetime’s improper use for
non-tennis activities (e.g., hosting ping pong).
6. Revenue Sharing: A 10%-12% revenue share is insufficient. The city
could achieve higher returns by exploring alternative vendors like
Gorin or directly managing some services.
Recommendations:
1. Retain Tennis Courts: Do not convert Courts 9 and 10 from tennis to
pickleball.
2. Revisit Vendor Options: Consider Gorin Tennis Academy for
superior tennis instruction and revenue potential.
3. Shorter Contract Term: Limit any contract to five years or fewer.
4. Audit Performance: Evaluate Lifetime’s compliance with
maintenance and service standards before renewal.
5. Transparent Improvements: Explicitly specify all
Capital improvements to CSC and limit these to be relevant and
specific to the needs of CSC users with a focus on tennis court
improvements.
Given these significant concerns, I respectfully request the Council to:
Pull Agenda Item 12 from the consent calendar.
Direct staff to continue the item to a later date for comprehensive
review and reconsideration.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
Tak K Young
From:Srividya Sundaresan
To:Rachelle Sander; City Council; Pamela Wu; City Clerk
Subject:Re: Agenda Item #12
Date:Saturday, November 16, 2024 8:05:13 PM
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you
recognize the sender and know the content is safe.
Dear City Clerk,
Please include the below in written communications for the 11/19/24 city council meeting.
Thank you.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Mayor Mohan, Cupertino City Council Members, City Manager Wu, and Parks &
Rec Director Sanders,
I urge the City Council to pull Agenda Item 12 from the consent calendar for
the 11/19/24 meeting and to schedule it to a future date when the newly elected
council is in session.
Agenda Item 12 proposes substantial changes that should not be approved without
thorough discussion.
Key Objection: Converting Tennis Courts to Pickleball
I strongly oppose the proposal to convert Courts 9 and 10 at the Cupertino Sports
Center (CSC) from tennis to pickleball.
1. Historic Use: These courts have served tennis players for over 30 years.
2. High Demand: Courts are oversubscribed, with bookings filling up within
seconds of opening each week.
3. Noise Concerns: Pickleball generates significant noise, disrupting nearby tennis
activities.
4. Existing Facilities: Pickleball facilities are already available at Memorial Park
and De Anza College.
5. Out-of-Town Usage: A majority of pickleball players at CSC come from outside
Cupertino.
Concerns with Lifetime's Contract Renewal
A 10-year contract renewal for Lifetime is excessive and should be reconsidered.
Contracts should be limited to five years or fewer to ensure better terms and vendor
accountability.
Performance Issues with Lifetime:
1. Court Maintenance: Courts are not cleaned bi-weekly as required by the current
contract. Logs and photographic evidence of compliance should be audited.
2. Reservations: The city should retain control of court reservations instead of
outsourcing to Lifetime, whose service quality is subpar in other cities like Santa
Clara and Sunnyvale.
3. Tennis Instruction: Lifetime’s programs have failed to produce players of high
school junior varsity or varsity-level competency, unlike Gorin Tennis Academy,
which has a proven record of excellence.
4. Capital Improvements: The promised $500,000 lacks clear details and member
input, with pickleball courts being an unwanted proposal.
5. Past Damage: Court 12 was damaged by Lifetime’s improper use for non-tennis
activities (e.g., hosting ping pong).
6. Revenue Sharing: A 10%-12% revenue share is insufficient. The city could
achieve higher returns by exploring alternative vendors like Gorin or directly
managing some services.
Recommendations:
1. Retain Tennis Courts: Do not convert Courts 9 and 10 from tennis to pickleball.
2. Revisit Vendor Options: Solicit more proposals from other vendors
3. Shorter Contract Term: Limit any contract to five years or fewer.
4. Audit Performance: Evaluate Lifetime’s compliance with maintenance and
service standards before renewal.
5. Transparent Improvements: Explicitly specify all Capital improvements to CSC
and limit these to be relevant and specific to the needs of CSC users with a
focus on tennis court improvements.
Given these significant concerns, I respectfully request the Council to:
Pull Agenda Item 12 from the consent calendar.
Direct staff to continue the item to a later date for comprehensive review and
reconsideration.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
Srividya Sundaresan
From:Elizabeth Grover
To:Rachelle Sander; City Council; Pamela Wu; City Clerk
Subject:Request to Pull Agenda Item 12 from Consent Calendar for Further Review
Date:Saturday, November 16, 2024 7:42:17 PM
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you
recognize the sender and know the content is safe.
Dear City Council members, Mayor Mohan, City Manager Wu, and Parks and Recreation
Director Sanders:
As a CSC member, I am extremely concerned about the changes being proposed at the Sports
Center and urge the City Council to pull Agenda Item 12 from the consent calendar for the
November 19, 2024 meeting and if possible continue this item to a future date to be
considered by the newly elected City Council.
My key objection is to the conversion of courts 9 and 10 to pickleball, as follows:
1. Once lines are striped for pickleball, they are almost unusable for tennis.
2. The maximum number of tennis players per court is 4. Depending on how the pickleball
courts are configured, the maximum number of pickleball players is 16 per court.
3. Pickleball is an extremely loud sport, hence the numbers of objections placed in many
communities here and across the country to the conversion of tennis courts to pickleball
courts. Not only will the large number of players generate considerable noise, but the balls
and paddles themselves create more noise than tennis racquets and tennis balls. I encourage
you to go to Mitchell Park in Palo Alto for instance and hear the noise generated by their
pickleball courts, even across the culvert. And in the case of CSC, these courts would be
adjacent to tennis courts, rather than 20-40 feet away.
4. Pickleball courts are available in Cupertino at Memorial Park and DeAnza College. There
is no need to convert courts at CSC.
5. There is a thriving tennis community at CSC, with large numbers of players, USTA teams,
etc. Removing two courts from usage by tennis players will only create more competition for
courts. Already courts are heavily used and in high demand.
I understand there are other issues relating to Lifetime’s performance at other tennis facilities
in the Bay Area, as well as objections to the length of the proposed contract, tennis instruction
and revenue sharing as well that should be addressed with full transparency and detail by the
newly elected council.
Again I urge the City Council to pull Agenda Item 12 from the consent calendar for the
upcoming November 19 meeting
Thank you,
Elizabeth Grover
From:Santosh Rao
To:City Council; Rachelle Sander; Pamela Wu; City Clerk
Subject:11/19/24 council meeting. Request to Pull Agenda Item 12 from Consent Calendar for Further Review.
Date:Saturday, November 16, 2024 6:37:57 PM
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you
recognize the sender and know the content is safe.
Subject: Request to Pull Agenda Item 12 from Consent Calendar for
Further Review
Dear Mayor Mohan, Cupertino City Council Members, City Manager
Wu, and Parks & Rec Director Sanders,
I urge the City Council to pull Agenda Item 12 from the consent calendar
for the 11/19/24 meeting and, if possible, to continue the item to a future
date when the newly elected council is in session.
Agenda Item 12 proposes substantial changes that should not be approved
without thorough discussion.
Key Objection: Converting Tennis Courts to Pickleball
I strongly oppose the proposal to convert Courts 9 and 10 at the Cupertino
Sports Center (CSC) from tennis to pickleball.
1. Historic Use: These courts have served tennis players for over 30
years.
2. High Demand: Courts are oversubscribed, with bookings filling up
within seconds of opening each week.
3. Noise Concerns: Pickleball generates significant noise, disrupting
nearby tennis activities.
4. Existing Facilities: Pickleball facilities are already available at
Memorial Park and De Anza College.
5. Out-of-Town Usage: A majority of pickleball players at CSC come
from outside Cupertino.
Concerns with Lifetime's Contract Renewal
A 10-year contract renewal for Lifetime is excessive and should be
reconsidered. Contracts should be limited to five years or fewer to ensure
better terms and vendor accountability.
Performance Issues with Lifetime:
1. Court Maintenance: Courts are not cleaned bi-weekly as required by
the current contract. Logs and photographic evidence of compliance
should be audited.
2. Reservations: The city should retain control of court reservations
instead of outsourcing to Lifetime, whose service quality is subpar in
other cities like Santa Clara and Sunnyvale.
3. Tennis Instruction: Lifetime’s programs have failed to produce
players of high school junior varsity or varsity-level competency,
unlike Gorin Tennis Academy, which has a proven record of
excellence.
4. Capital Improvements: The promised $500,000 lacks clear details
and member input, with pickleball courts being an unwanted proposal.
5. Past Damage: Court 12 was damaged by Lifetime’s improper use for
non-tennis activities (e.g., hosting ping pong).
6. Revenue Sharing: A 10%-12% revenue share is insufficient. The city
could achieve higher returns by exploring alternative vendors like
Gorin or directly managing some services.
Recommendations:
1. Retain Tennis Courts: Do not convert Courts 9 and 10 from tennis to
pickleball.
2. Revisit Vendor Options: Consider Gorin Tennis Academy for
superior tennis instruction and revenue potential.
3. Shorter Contract Term: Limit any contract to five years or fewer.
4. Audit Performance: Evaluate Lifetime’s compliance with
maintenance and service standards before renewal.
5. Transparent Improvements: Explicitly specify all
Capital improvements to CSC and limit these to be relevant and
specific to the needs of CSC users with a focus on tennis court
improvements.
Given these significant concerns, I respectfully request the Council to:
Pull Agenda Item 12 from the consent calendar.
Direct staff to continue the item to a later date for comprehensive
review and reconsideration.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
San Rao
Cupertino resident and CSC member and daily user
From:Varun Bhagwan
To:Rachelle Sander; City Council
Subject:Cupertino Sports Center update
Date:Saturday, November 16, 2024 5:10:07 PM
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you
recognize the sender and know the content is safe.
Hello,
We applaud your efforts at listening to your constituents, and taking necessary steps when
appropriate. The Cupertino Sports Center supports many activities, including tennis courts
which happen to be the most heavily booked courts across all of the Bay Area. It has come to
our attention that additional tennis courts are being converted to other sports, in particular
pickle ball. This would be a significant step backwards for a number of reasons, which I’m
sure you’ve heard about and we’ll be happy to discuss further. Indeed, we’d love to also hear
your plans for expansion of tennis courts, including adding lights to courts that don’t currently
have them. This would serve a fantastic purpose of serving the surrounding community, and
easing some of the crowded situation and booking challenges currently experienced. Thank
you,
Varun Bhagwan
Sent from Yahoo Mail for iPhone