At a well-attended General Meeting, the members of LTC Startbaan approved the installation of an air dome covering two outdoor courts from 1 October 2026. The result of the roll-call vote was 75 in favour and 6 against.

As the initiators and project owners, the boards of LTC Startbaan and Park Startbaan are delighted with the outcome of the meeting. A decision has been taken by a large majority that offers additional opportunities and possibilities for the club’s further development. The air dome will make it possible to play tennis on clay all year round. The minutes of this General Meeting will be made available via the club’s channels.

What does this mean in practical terms and how will the project proceed?

Preparations

Everything is geared towards ensuring that the air dome is available for clay-court tennis from 1 October 2026.

At present, almost all the conditions for the bank loan application are in place. We are still awaiting the municipality of Amstelveen, which will cover 50% of the security (municipal guarantee). The bank loan has nevertheless already been applied for.

The application for the necessary planning permission was submitted very recently and was published on 24 March.

For the installation of the air dome, the Park Startbaan board has chosen court sections 3-4 as the most suitable location for technical and social reasons

Over the coming weeks, further research will be carried out to determine how long it takes to get the clay courts back into playing condition after the winter. We are keeping our options open regarding court allocation, with courts 9–10 as a realistic alternative (plan B).

Allocation and rates

As there is high demand for indoor tennis facilities in winter, we are implementing a regulated allocation system in accordance with the following procedure.

Firstly, we consulted with The Majors regarding their request for hours for lessons and training sessions for members of LTC Startbaan. Clear agreements have been made with them. These agreements will enable us to clear a significant portion of the waiting list for training sessions and lessons for members.

Next, it is the turn of LTC Startbaan members exclusively to make bookings for a winter contract.

Members interested in a winter tennis court contract in the air dome can contact the Park Startbaan administration between 1 April and 1 May: administratie@parkstartbaan.nl.

We would also like to encourage members who are already on the waiting list at Park Startbaan for a winter court and are interested in a court in the indoor hall to register.

On or shortly after 1 May, we will notify those who have made a reservation of the allocation. If multiple requests are received for the same time slot, priority will be given on a first-come, first-served basis.

After 1 May, both members and non-members can make a booking for a court in the air dome. Availability can be checked on the Park Startbaan website from 1 May. Here too, the principle of ‘first come, first served’ applies.

The rates for the air dome are broadly in line with those for the indoor tennis courts at Park Startbaan, taking into account a slightly shorter winter season in the air dome of 24 weeks (until 15 March). The rates for the 2026–2027 winter season can be found on the Park Startbaan website.

Preparatory work may cause some disruption

Preparatory work will be necessary on the section of the course where the air-supported hall is to be built. We aim to have this work carried out during the summer holidays, so as to cause as little disruption as possible.

We will provide timely updates on this via newsletters, under ‘News’ on the Park Startbaan website and on the screens in the clubhouse.

We will also continue to keep you informed via these channels about the progress of this special project.

Questions?

We are always available to answer any questions. Send your question to Rolf Bredschneijder: parkmanager@parkstartbaan.nl