The Merion Cricket Club (MCC) on Philadelphia’s prestigious Main Line was founded in 1865 and is distinguished for, among other things, being among the country’s oldest private clubs still thriving today. For more than150 years, MCC has been an integral part of the lives of tens of thousands of members and offers a sophisticated and traditional venue for members to enjoy tennis, squash, cricket, croquet and other recreational activities. In 1892, after two prior moves, the club eventually settled into its current Haverford location, and the clubhouse that graces the Great Lawn today was completed in 1896. Its iconic Great Lawn has a reputation for being one of the finest lawn tennis surfaces in the world.
Eye on Expansion
For many years the club’s 15-acre campus bordered a tract of land containing 12 individual residences. In 1998, the club purchased the first of these contiguous residential properties and waited patiently. The last of those 12 finally was purchased in 2017 giving the club an additional five acres on which to expand. As a national historic landmark and architecturally impressive structure, the clubhouse is a great source of pride for the members; yet MCC recognized the need to modernize its facilities and change is sometimes met with resistance. Leadership needed to take a deliberate, strategic and thorough approach to assessing the maintenance and structural needs of the facility while balancing the desires of current and, of course, potential members. Although an internationally renowned racquet club, this non-golf facility recognized it needed to broaden its appeal.
The Long Game
Between 2004 and 2006, MCC conducted a comprehensive member satisfaction survey as well as a facilities conditions audit to develop a 10-year capital plan addressing deferred maintenance and capital improvements. MCC’s Strategic Planning Committee worked with an architectural firm to develop a long-term campus plan and expansion concepts, and in 2007 the club embarked on the first phase of a major clubhouse renovation. It focused on upgrading all dining outlets and overhauling the main kitchen that services the club’s three `a la carte restaurants.
While there still exists a demand for formal dining at MCC, the club recognized the need to invest in additional casual, family-friendly dining. They gained supplementary year-round space by enclosing an open porch overlooking the Great Lawn and capturing space previously dedicated to formal dining by relocating its Cricket Room to the main level of the historic clubhouse. This 175-seat upscale casual venue drives dining at the club, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week. The Cricket Room has a fully retractable NanaWall window system allowing for additional outdoor open-air dining in the shoulder months.
The club also renovated its Courtside Café following a quick/casual dining concept; it offers everything from smoothies and grab-and-eat items to full-service meals. This venue is proximate to the MCC’s athletic facilities and offers a very casual dining option, which is especially popular with young families.
Trust the Process
In 2012, club leadership engaged the services of McMahon Group to guide the club through a strategic planning process to chart a course for five to 10 years. McMahon Group President Frank Vain conducted a full board retreat and was instrumental in working through the data, identifying attainable goals and timelines, walking through the processes and gaining support by educating members on the state of the private club industry. In 2013, the board approved a plan consisting of six strategic initiatives that they assigned to various committees to further develop and implement.
General Manager/COO Caleb Tindall, CCM, reflected, “Merion is committed to investing in our facilities and programs in order to remain competitive in the private club marketplace. The plan was member-driven and informed heavily by actively soliciting member feedback to carefully develop a strategy to both strengthen our existing offerings—tennis, squash, paddle and fitness—as well as broaden this offer by adding the outdoor recreational resort-style pool. We have invested heavily in lifestyle amenities and, by doing so, feel we will become more attractive to a broader segment of prospective members—specifically younger families.”
Campus Master Plan
While MCC’s prestige and reputation are widely known, the Philadelphia area is saturated with clubs and, as is the case throughout the country, young families are increasingly looking for a casual, family-friendly environment. Between 2013 and 2015, MCC’s Long Range Planning Committee developed an initiative they dubbed “Facilities for Our Future,” which included the integration and development of the 12 residential properties. From that initiative grew MCC’s Campus Master Plan that proposed renovations and upgrades across the campus based on the following guiding principles:
- Respect and preserve MCC’s rich history, great traditions, historic clubhouse and prominence in the community
- Maximize existing spaces before constructing new
- Strengthen existing facilities/amenities to maintain commitment to racquet sports
- Broaden facilities and amenities to appeal to a larger base of prospective members
- Invest heavily in lifestyle amenities with a primary focus on health and wellness
- Address deficiencies such as deferred maintenance and parking
Phasing in Change
With 70% support, the membership approved the campus master plan in 2016 and in 2017 the club began the first phase of what will be a multi-year, $24 million project. In the $8.5 million first phase, the club significantly expanded its fitness and wellness center, added international singles squash courts and a men’s locker room and expanded the ladies’ locker room. The two-story center features state of the art equipment, a functional training center and two private studios that host more than 40 fitness classes per week.
The $15.5 million second phase is well underway and sees the integration of the residential properties to provide overnight accommodations, a day spa, a babysitting cottage and administrative offices and 80 additional parking spaces (a 40% increase). The new resort style recreational pool will open for the 2020 swim season and includes a food & beverage pavilion and locker rooms. A new paddle tennis complex, four new tennis courts (Har-Tru and hard surface), upgraded maintenance and grounds facilities, and enhanced access to some of the existing buildings round out the renovation.
Vain applauds the club leadership for taking a serious look at trends in the club marketplace and growing demographics affecting change. “A big part of the story here is that you really need to take a good look at the world around you—both internally and externally—and look at the reality of the big picture. Merion Cricket Club had members who were willing to do that, put the plan into motion step-by-step, and now they are reaping the benefits.”
Tindall sums it up, “The Merion Cricket Club enjoys a long and distinguished history that can only be achieved through exceptional leadership and a commitment to maintaining both excellence and relevance. While our Campus Master Plan has been evolving conceptually since the first contiguous property was purchased twenty years ago, the 2013 Strategic Plan was the catalyst that allowed the club to fully engage the membership and served as a roadmap to refine our thinking about the future. Today, the club is well-positioned to perpetuate its legacy to the next generation of Merion members.”