Bob Bryant has resigned as director of the BB&T Atlanta Open. His resignation is effective after this year’s tournament, which begins July 20.
Bryant has accepted a position as president and CEO of the 500 Festival in Indianapolis. Bryant said he wasn’t looking to leave the BB&T after seemingly stabilizing the event with a new site and sponsor.
“It just really lined up well and became something that was very compelling,” Bryant said of the 500.
Bryant took over what was then known as the Atlanta Tennis Championships 2 ½ years ago when it was held at the Atlanta Athletic Club. The tournament moved to the Racquet Club of the South in 2011 before Bryant secured a multi-year deal to move the event to the unique venue of Atlantic Station, a modern multi-use shopping and retail site that many of the players seemed to like compared to the Racquet Club of the South, which lacked many of the modern amenities. Bryant also secured a multi-year deal with BB&T for the naming rights. Both moves made the tournament profitable.
Bryant said securing the move, the title sponsor and the reaction from all of the customers is what he will be most proud of.
“Making it work on a significant scale and pleasing all the consitituents: fans, players, ATP Tours and the sponsors and the media. To get the thumb’s up from everyone one of those groups is tremendous,” he said.
The tournament field for this year’s BB&T is expected to be announced later today.
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