Flushing Meadows Corona Park
Arthur Ashe Stadium
This stadium honors tennis player Arthur Robert Ashe, Jr. (1943-1993). Born in Richmond, Virginia, Ashe began playing tennis at the age of ten. In 1966 he graduated from the University of California at Los Angeles, where he won the United States Intercollegiate Singles Championship and led his team to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) championship. At the 1968 U.S. Open, Ashe defeated several competitors to win the men’s singles title. By 1975, he was ranked the number-one tennis player in the U.S. After this string of athletic successes, Ashe began suffering heart problems. Retiring from the game, he underwent heart surgery in 1979 and again in 1983.
During one of his hospital stays, Ashe was likely given an HIV-tainted blood transfusion and he soon contracted AIDS. Despite his illness, he remained involved in public life. His participation in many youth activities, such as the National Junior Tennis League and the ABC Cities Tennis Program, and his role in protests against South African apartheid earned Ashe recognition as 1992 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year, long after his athletic career had ended. He died of pneumonia in New York at age 49.
As part of a successful bid to keep the United States Open in New York, Mayor David N. Dinkins agreed to the construction of an expensive new tennis stadium for the United States Tennis Association in 1992. Controversy later erupted when the mayor, an avid tennis fan, ordered the rerouting of all airborne traffic from nearby LaGuardia and John F. Kennedy airports so as not to disturb that year’s U.S. Open. Dinkins, receiving heated remarks from the airports, the press and many local residents, maintained his immediate stance, but curtailed his no-fly zone policy during future U.S. Open tournaments.
Constructed and opened in 1997, this stadium at the northern end of Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, replaced Louis Armstrong Stadium as the main tennis facility in the park and became the headquarters of the National Tennis Center. Built for $254 million, the 23,000-seat stadium functions as the main arena for the U.S. Open. During the remainder of the year, the indoor and outdoor courts of the stadium are open to the public. Other annual events held at the center include the Eastern Wheelchair Tennis Championships and the Mayor’s Cup high school tennis championships. Today, ten percent of Flushing Meadows-Corona Park is devoted to the sport of tennis.
Ashe is memorialized in the stadium with a bronze statue sculpted by Eric Fischl. Soul in Flight was sponsored largely by the United States Tennis Association and was dedicated on August 28, 2000. Standing tall, his left arm pointing upwards, the bronze representation symbolizes Ashe’s two loves: the books he carries represent knowledge, and the racket he holds represents tennis. The statue is inscribed with a quote attributed to Ashe. “From what we get, we can make a living; what we give, however, makes a life.”
Directions to Flushing Meadows Corona Park

Know Before You Go
There are currently 2 service interruptions affecting access within this park.
Flushing Meadows Corona Park
Due to construction, the 111th Street Parking Lot (Henry Hudson Entrance) is closed as of May 28, 2019. Please view this project on our Capital Project Tracker page for the latest updates.
Anticipated Completion: Spring 2020
World's Fair Marina
Due to a major planned reconstruction project, Pier 1 at the World's Fair Marina is currently closed. Limited transient dockage is available for smaller recreational vessels - please contact the Dockmasters office at 718-478-0480 or VHF Ch71 for more information. There is no dockage available for larger vessels or commercial vessels, including passenger pick-up and drop-off. We apologize for any inconvenience. Please check back with the World's Fair Marina in the future for updates.
Anticipated Completion: Spring 2021

News
- NYC PARKS BREAKS GROUND ON $24 MILLION PROJECT TO PRESERVE HISTORIC WORLD’S FAIR PAVILION TOWERS IN FLUSHING MEADOWS CORONA PARK
- FORGET THE VACATION- TAKE A STAYCATION: NYC PARKS UNVEILS SUMMER STAYCATION GUIDE
- NYC PARKS AND THE ALLIANCE FOR FLUSHING MEADOWS CORONA PARK UNVEIL A NEW ART IN THE PARKS INSTALLATION
Events
Facilities
Barbecuing Areas
Baseball Fields
Basketball Courts
Bathrooms
Bicycling and Greenways
Dog-friendly Areas
Eateries
Fishing
Fitness Equipment
Football Fields
Golf Courses
Handball Courts
Hiking Trails
Ice Skating Rinks
Indoor Pools
Kayak/Canoe Launch Sites
Marinas
Media Labs
Model Aircraft Fields
Paddleboat Rentals
Playgrounds
Recreation Centers
Skate Parks
Soccer Fields
Spray Showers
Tennis Courts
Volleyball Courts
Wi-Fi Hot Spots
Zoos and Aquariums
Highlights
- Arthur Ashe Stadium
- Buzz Vollmer Playground
- Calvert Circle
- Casey Stengel Plaza
- Column Of Jerash