As D.P. Davis tried to lure residents and visitors to his $30 million Davis Islands, he promoted his property as an elite place to live. The $50,000 Spanish-Italian Davis Island Tennis Club constructed in 1924 in the Marjorie Park section of his project was to do just that. It was to be an exclusive sports club with a tiled dance floor, lounge and card rooms, eight tennis courts, showers, and a short walk to the golf course and “romanceful Roman pools.” The entire Marjorie Park area of the islands, with its yacht basin, hotels, and water views, was meant to attract those with big money. Davis was a talented promoter, whipping the public into a buying frenzy. He moved one of the leading radio stations, WDAE, to his property so that on station breaks, they would say “WDAE from beautiful Davis Islands.” He placed full-page newspaper ads trumpeting his progress, how people were making fast money, and how investing in his project was a no-lose investment. The club hosted the popular Dixie Cup Championship tournament.

It fell apart. Davis’s financing plan and economic problems leading up to the Great Depression took their toll. The shine wore off the Florida land frenzy, and Davis had to sell out. He then mysteriously died on a cruise in 1926. By 1928, the Tampa Boat and Anglers Club had merged with the tennis club and taken over, but the club and tournaments continued. By 1929, the city recreation board oversaw the complex. The entire complex was eventually moved to make room for what is now the Hillsborough Community College administration building. The facility was renamed the Sandra W. Freedman Tennis Complex in 1995 by Mayor Dick Greco following Freedman’s 20 years of service on the city council.

The Freedman complex has had many transitions as well. A large fountain was built in front and was operational for several years but fell into disrepair. As the Republican National Convention prepared to come to Tampa, the City Parks and Recreation Department transformed the dilapidated fountain into a Zen garden, filling it with sand and creating walkways. The former fountain was removed after its beneficial aesthetic improvement proved too much to keep clean after the convention.

 © Chip Weiner. All rights reserved