PARIS, May 22 (UPI) -- French tennis officials say they're studying scenarios in which the French Open would be relocated from its cramped quarters at Roland Garros in Paris.
French Open Director General Gilbert Ysern told reporters Saturday major planning is under way to either modernize and expand the tournament's existing facilities or move to a site outside Paris, The New York Times reported.
Ysern said potential alternate sites include Marne-le-Vallee, near Disneyland Paris; a 48-acre parcel in Versailles where the French army is closing a military base; and a 74-acre site in Gonesse, northeast of Paris.
"It's not a game for us," Ysern told the Times. "It's something very serious."
The current site in Paris's Bois de Boulogne is 19 acres, making it the smallest of any Grand Slam venue. French officials say if the tournament is to stay in the city, it needs $255 million to build two stadiums with retractable roofs holding 18,000 and 12,000 fans.
