Two of Peachtree City's top leisure attractions report continued growth and success, as one of those organizations proceeds with its attempt to sell the city on the need for expansion.

The directors of the Frederick Brown Jr. Amphitheater and the Peachtree City Tennis Center brought the Peachtree City Development Authority up to date on recent and future projects at Monday night's authority meeting.

Both venues are under the direction of the authority.

About 3,700 people came out last weekend to enjoy K.C. and the Sunshine Band, the opening act on the Amphitheater's 1999 concert schedule, according to director Kristi Rapson.

The 2,200-seat facility was completely sold out for Friday night's performance, with some extra standing-room tickets being sold as well. Saturday's show saw the arena at about 85 percent capacity, Rapson said.

Media coverage for the event was characterized as "terrific," as Rapson noted both local and Atlanta-based outlets gave the concerts plenty of advance promotion. Several radio and television stations in Atlanta portrayed the amphitheater as a good weekend alternative for Atlantans wanting to escape Freaknik traffic, Rapson said.

While she continues to work on lining up acts for the summer's second concert series, Rapson says that capital improvements are ongoing at the amphitheater. Landscaping along the pathway has been done recently, and some noticeable additions at the arena itself include black drapes for the stage and turnstiles for the admission of spectators.

The amphitheater's advisory board has discussed possible changes to the sponsor board, but that would be a year away. Lights are being added fairly soon that will better illuminate the board, Rapson said.

A search is ongoing for a facility maintenance person as well as a stage manager. Rapson said the amphitheater is looking hard for a good person to handle the bands as they come into town, which is a unique and challenging, albeit seasonal, job.

Virgil Christian, director of the tennis center, noted that he and Rapson have discussed sharing personnel to possibly better meet their needs without incurring dramatically higher costs. Both also are looking at whatever resources the city already has that can improve various functions at the two facilities.

Christian briefed the authority on the tennis center's expansion plans, which call for the addition of six covered courts. He said that the courts themselves, along with an adjacent meeting facility, could help with increasing tournament demands while giving the city another option for large official gatherings, as well as private events for which the space could be rented.

Another major part of the proposal includes one of two interior courts being replaced by a new administration building and pro shop, with the adjacent court being converted into a grandstand court. The building would provide excellent balcony seating for the court, Christian added.

While he noted that the city and the tennis center will be looking at several possible options for expansion, which may or may not include various portions of this plan, Christian said that the total plan would complete the center's build out and create "something special" for the city.

The next major event for the tennis center is the upcoming Peach State junior tournament, which Christian said is truly a national event, as players from about 40 states are signed up to compete.

In other Development Authority business, the board congratulated Panasonic on its award from the Georgia Economic Developers Association. Several members of the authority attended the event Monday afternoon in downtown Atlanta, where Gov. Roy Barnes presented Panasonic with the Existing Industry Appreciation Award for large companies.

The authority is considering a large ad in local newspapers congratulating Panasonic on this honor. The company employs approximately 900 full-time people in Peachtree City.

Also noted was the recent approval of the Foreign Trade Zone into Peachtree City. The affected area, about 2,000 acres, is one of the largest such zones in the Southeastern United States, the authority said.