BY KYM LIEBLER
The Cincinnati Enquirer
MASON -- One of the highly sought-after seats to today's ATP Tournament finals will be occupied by the man whose mission is to bring the Olympics to Cincinnati in 2012.
Nick Vehr, president of Cincinnati 2012, says the ATP Tournament -- which consistently draws the world's top tennis players -- sweetens Cincinnati's chances of landing the Olympics.
"The process of getting the Olympics is a sport-by-sport marathon," Mr. Vehr said. "We start at the front of the pack as far as tennis because of the ATP."
Richard Eaton, a London reporter covering the ATP for the Guardian, said Mason's ATP Tennis Center "is as good as, if not better" than the stadiums built for the Olympics in Barcelona, Spain, and Atlanta.
"One of the conspicuous things here is that it's a good stadium, but they keep making improvements," Eaton said. He is staying in a Budgetel motel and hasn't had time to explore Greater Cincinnati. But, he added, "This is a superb press room."
The ATP Tennis Center, built in 1981, has three stadiums: the 10,600-seat Center Court, the 5,000-seat Grandstand Court (which was added in 1995) and the 2,000-seat Court 3.
Several local residents attending the ATP Tournament Tuesday said the well-run event can boost Cincinnati's chances of hosting the Olympics.
The attributes are often praised: efficient and orderly parking-lot entrances and exits; eclectic food choices; and freedom of movement inside the center.
On a scale of one to 10 -- with "one" giving Cincinnati no chance of hosting the Olympics and a "10" the strongest vote of confidence -- West Chester's Bruce Fisher gave Vehr's chances a "four."
"This is a wonderful event," Fisher said. "But there's a big difference between the ATP and the Olympics. You're talking a significantly bigger scale." A more optimistic Charlotte Tungate gave Vehr better odds.
"I'd say seven," the Lebanon woman said. "If Atlanta, Georgia, can do it, so can Cincinnati."
Paul Flory, the executive director of the ATP Tournament and the person widely credited with enhancing Greater Cincinnati's reputation via the successful tournament, said members of an Olympic site selection committee have already visited the center.
"They considered it top-drawer," Flory said.
"As I've looked at tennis centers around the world, this would be very desirable for the Olympic Games," he said.
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