in the early 1970s, the united states tennis association was looking for a new place to host the us open as relations with the west side tennis club in forest hills, which had hosted the tournament, were breaking down. the usta was initially unable to find a sufficient site, but the association's incoming president, w.e. hester saw the old singer bowl from the window of an airplane flying into laguardia airport. the old, long rectangular stadium was heavily renovated and divided into two venues, becoming the square louis armstrong stadium, with the remaining third becoming the attached grandstand, with a seating capacity of about 6,000.