A 16,000 square-foot transparent tent will be erected at Turtle Hill in Southampton to house the all-glass court on which this November’s Endurance World Open Squash Championships are to be played.

At the official launch of the event at the Fairmont Southampton Hotel yesterday, tournament director Ross Triffitt unveiled his team’s ambitious plans for hosting the most prestigious competition in world squash — the centrepiece of which will be the 42-foot high structure made entirely of see-through plastic panels to protect both the players and the 1,300 spectators from any bad weather.

The tent is being imported from Canada and will be built by local construction firm BCM McAlpine, with the whole process set to take roughly ten days and cost tens of thousands of dollars.

“Our primary objective from the beginning was to find the most spectacular outdoor location we possibly could, in order to showcase the Island’s natural beauty to as broad a global audience as possible,” Triffitt said.

“And I believe that in Turtle Hill, with the views overlooking the beach and South Shore, we have found one of, if not the, most fantastic location in which a glass court has ever been built.”

The tournament will boast a total prize pool of $120,000, which equals the largest amount ever offered to the players in a World Open, while the world’s top 31 players — including defending champion and local resident David Palmer — will be offered direct entry into the main draw.

As was the case with the Virtual Spectator Bermuda Masters over the last two years at the BHS gymnasium, a highlights package of the event will be broadcast to a potentially enormous global audience on networks like ESPN and Sky Sports — something that fits neatly into Premier Ewart Brown’s agenda of attempting to boost the Island’s international profile through the hosting of major sporting events.

Anybody who watched the last three pro tournaments in Bermuda will be familiar with charismatic official host Robert Edwards, the self-styled “Voice of Squash”, who is also a senior official on the Professional Squash Association.

Having compered over 200 tournaments over a 22-year career, Edwards has announced he will retire at the Endurance World Open and said yesterday he couldn’t think of a better occasion to bow out.

“I’m thrilled to be part of the team again and have chosen this wonderful setting to announce my retirement,” he said.

“Rarely can there have been a journey to match the squash trail taking place in Bermuda — a small but beautiful island with the courage and the ability to produce a series of squash events that challenge the best in the history of the game.”

As reported yesterday, a Bermudian will be give a wildcard into the main draw, with the favourite at present being former pro James Stout, who beat the recently-retired Nick Kyme in the final of the National Championships in February.