It’s One Move They Can Do Without

The cars keep stacking up like they do at the impound. But this isn’t the impound, it’s parking garage 4 at UCLA and at least 50 cars are looking for a spot.

They are all mostly here for the Mercedes-Benz Cup.

They honk, yell and pray they’ll find a spot before Gustavo Kuerten’s first serve at 3:48 p.m.

“This is the problem with having a tennis tournament at UCLA. There’s not enough parking,” said Laura Alonso, 42, stuck with four teenage daughters inside a Ford sports utility vehicle with two Brazilian flags clipped to a window.

“We need to keep moving. We came to see Gustavo play and not to sit in traffic behind 20 cars.”

That will be a problem. It’s five minutes before the fifth-seeded player from Brazil hits Straus Stadium’s hard court.

One of the complaints from fans attending the 76th annual tournament is the parking. Or the lack of.

The talk about the tournament relocating to a place with better facilities circulated throughout UCLA on Thursday.

Some fans, such as the Alonsos, would welcome the change of venue. The Alonsos said Carson looks like a perfect fit. Phil Anschutz is building a state-of-the-art tennis stadium there that will open next summer.

Others want it to stay at UCLA.

“This place has the best ambience for tennis,” said Marty Goldstone, 75, eating popcorn and looking toward groups of enthusiastic fans talking tennis and swinging rackets.

“I live in Beverly Hills and I hope the tournament remains here. It’s convenient for me because it’s only a 15-minute drive.”

Goldstone, who has been to the tournament a dozen times, also said he’d support the tournament wherever it goes because he loves tennis.

“There’s a lot of tradition here,” said Goldstone of the tournament, which signed a 99-year contract with UCLA before the 1984 Olympic Games. “I’d hate to see it go because there isn’t a bad seat on Straus Stadium.

“I won’t go to as many tournaments if they decide to move to Carson.”

UCLA has 80 years left on the agreement, but its facilities won’t compare to Carson’s.

Players such as Kuerten and Pete Sampras have complained about the small locker rooms in the past.

The UCLA Tennis Center has a capacity of 7,200. The Carson center will be expandable to 13,000 seats.

If the Mercedes-Benz Cup moves, which tournament director Bob Kramer said Wednesday is not likely, there will be a huge economic hit at UCLA.

At least 100 students work during the seven-day tournament as part of the Associated Students UCLA Restaurants.

They depend on the income made during the summer, working at the four concession stands and two buffet-style restaurants, the Champions Club and Clubhouse.

Robert Williams, the director of food operations, said the Associated Students UCLA Restaurants could lose up to $30,000 if the tournament leaves.

Williams said the majority of money generated comes from the Champions Club, which serves 300-350 plates per day at $28 for adults and $21 for children under 12.

“It’s hard to survive here in Westwood if you don’t work during the summer,” said Jacqueline Vu, 20, a sociology major and waiter at the Champions Club. “I need this money because I share a $2,100-per-month apartment with two other students.

“Anything helps and [waiters] sometimes can get $50 tips. We just want people to keep coming.”