the Municipal Athletic Complex with the hopes of attracting the big bucks of tournaments.
The land next to the current 16 tennis courts is being cleared and graded in preparation for the eight new courts.
Four of the tennis courts will be covered so games can continue in case it rains.
There will also be a new pro shop and club house built near the new courts to replace the old, small one players have access to now.
Local tennis players say big competitions could bring anywhere from 400 to 600 people to Beaumont.
And if more courts are built those people, and their wallets, could be coming here to play and spend.
"It would bring so much economy to Beaumont you would have hotels filled, you would have restaurants filled, you would have academy filled because people are always going at the last minute to buy tennis balls and tennis equipment," said Ruthie Guidroz, a member of the Southeast Texas Tennis Association.
City officials say they plan to break ground on the new $700,000 pro shop in January and it should be done within eight months.
But they're is still looking for a contractor for the new $2.2 million tennis courts so city officials say those probably won't start until late 2014.
Both the pro shop and eight tennis courts will be paid for through the city's capitol projects funds.
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