By Erica Solvig
The Cincinnati Enquirer

MASON - Years of negotiations culminated Tuesday in a multimillion-dollar deal to keep an international tournament at the ATP Tennis Center near Paramount's Kings Island.

Tennis for Charity Inc., operators of the Western & Southern Financial Masters, purchased the center from Carl Lindner's American Financial Group. Paul Flory, who runs the Masters, declined to release any details Tuesday.

"We're pleased to see the Western & Southern Financial Group Masters will remain in the area," he said. "That has been our goal since the beginning."

American Financial officials also withheld specifics.

The ATP Tennis Center, which spans 90 acres, has three stadiums and seven other courts.

It's home to one of nine Masters-level ATP Tour tournaments worldwide. The annual event draws top players such as Andre Agassi and Lleyton Hewitt, as well as more than 160,000 fans and another 35 million television viewers.

Mr. Flory, who had at one point considered finding another home for the tournament, has tried to purchase or negotiate a long-term lease with American Financial for years. He agreed in October to a $16.5 million asking price, but would not confirm Tuesday whether that was the price paid.

In 2001, an appraisal valued the land at $7.8, million based on its potential as an office park - the likeliest nontournament use.

Tennis for Charity, Mr. Flory's private nonprofit group that holds the franchise for the ATP Tour stop, will get financial help from the city of Mason, Deerfield Township, and Warren County and its Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Mason will pay $3.125 million over 25 years in exchange for some public access to the center and use of a stadium suite during the Masters for business-recruitment purposes.

"It has the effect of drawing a crowd the size of two Super Bowls," Mason City Manager Scot Lahrmer said. "It does put us on the world stage every year. For our citizens, that certainly adds to the quality of life here in Mason." Warren County and its Convention & Visitors Bureau have committed to $3.65 million over 19 years. Deerfield Township has agreed to give $600,000 over 20 years in return for recognition of the contribution and public access to the center.

This year's tournament runs Aug. 7-17.

E-mail esolvig@enquirer.com