Amelia Island Plantation

Special/The MPS Group Championships -- ATP player Brian Gottfried, (from left) The MPS Group Championships tournament director John Arrix, ATP player Todd Martin, Senior Vice President Corporate Development MPS Group Tyra Tutor, Jacksonville Jaguars coach Jack Del Rio and COO & General Manager Sawgrass Country Club George Fetherston at today's press conference announcing the Jacksonville-based MPS Group will sponsor and the Sawgrass Country Club will be the site of the women's professional tennis tournament formally based at the Amelia island Plantation.

By FRANCINE KING

The Times-Union

It appears the WTA Tour tennis tournament that has been played at Amelia Island Plantation since 1980 will remain in the Jacksonville area for its 30th anniversary.

But it might have a new home.

Residents of Sawgrass Country Club in Ponte Vedra Beach received a notice Thursday that the Sawgrass Board of Governors has approved in principle a proposal from Octagon Enterprises to have Sawgrass play host to the event, which was previously known as the Bausch & Lomb Championships.

Octagon, the company that manages the women's professional tennis tour event, acknowledged Friday that it is trying to close a deal to bring the event to Sawgrass, but it still has to iron out a contract with a new local sponsor.

Bausch & Lomb ended its 22-year title sponsorship after the conclusion of the 2008 tournament, which was won by Russian star Maria Sharapova.

"Our intent clearly is to keep this event in the Jacksonville area and make it financially viable," tournament director John Arrix said. "We're exploring keeping it at Amelia Island, as well as going to Sawgrass. We're really hustling to find a new title sponsor and additional sponsors."

Jason Mudd, CEO of AXIA, the public relations firm hired by Octagon to help identify new sponsors, said three companies have expressed significant interest in the title sponsorship, and one has signed a letter of intent.

Arrix said if everything continues on course, he expects to make an announcement about the new sponsor in the next few weeks.

The notice to Sawgrass residents, a copy of which was obtained by the Times-Union, indicated that the agreement to move the tournament would be a three-year deal. But it acknowledged that the details of the contract had not been negotiated.

"For 29 years, we've appreciated the support of the Jacksonville area community at the Bausch & Lomb Championships," said Phil de Picciotto, president of Octagon. "With the restructuring of the women's tennis tour, we're doing everything possible to maintain our presence in the market with a new event."

by KEVIN TURNER

kevin.turner@mynassausun.com

Circuit Court Judge Brian Davis March 4 shot down an effort by Nassau County and the Amelia Island Plantation to stop three county residents from suing the county for approving development on Crane Island without state approval.

The county, Crane Island landowners and the Amelia Island Co. had argued that Sierra Club of Nassau County members Eric Titcomb, Julie Ferreira and Bob Weintraub did not have legal standing to sue the county because the county commission’s decision to allow development on the island didn't harm them any more than any other county resident.

Davis’ decision allows the trio to proceed with their lawsuit.

The three argue the county illegally overturned the island’s conservation designation, mandated by the state Department of Community Affairs in the 1990s. Then county attorney Mike Mullin said DCA approval wasn’t needed to change the island’s allowed development density.