Wednesday, Jan. 19, 2011

By MINORU MATSUTANI

Staff writer

After three years of renovation work, the Tokyo American Club reopened Tuesday at its permanent site in Azabudai, Minato Ward, boasting more floor space, ballroom capacity and parking.

Open for business: U.S. Ambassador John Roos (from left to right), Tokyo American Club President Lance Lee, Mitsubishi Jisho Residence Co. President Takao Yagihashi and Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects Senior Principal Fred Clark hold mallets prior to breaking the lid of a sake barrel during the "kagami wari" ceremony at the Tokyo American Club in Azabudai, Minato Ward, on Tuesday. YOSHIAKI MIURA PHOTO

During the renovations, the club was moved in January 2008 to a temporary structure in Takanawa, also in Minato Ward.

"I want to congratulate everyone involved" in the construction of the new facility, U.S. Ambassador John Roos said at a ceremony marking the renewal, calling the reopened club "truly spectacular."

The ceremony kicked off with greetings by TAC President Lance Lee, a speech by Roos and a tape-cutting by executives from the construction firm and design companies, followed by the traditional "kagami wari" breaking open of a barrel of sake with a wooden hammer to fete the new facility.

The club has restaurants, bars, an indoor swimming pool, bowling alley, child care rooms, video viewing rooms, ballrooms, conference rooms, guest rooms for overnight stays and other amenities.

Besides Roos and Lee, guests at the ceremony included Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects Senior Principal Fred Clark, Takenaka Corp. President and CEO Toichi Takenaka, Mitsubishi Jisho Sekkei Inc. Director and Deputy President Masao Ouchi and others involved in the construction, as well as club members.

Takenaka Corp., Pelli Clarke Pelli, Mitsubishi Jisho Sekkei and Nikken Sekkei Ltd. designed the new facilities and Takenaka handled the construction.

The club has more than 3,300 members, 30 percent of whom are Americans and 40 percent Japanese.

A one-time permanent membership fee runs ¥2.6 million for singles, ¥2.8 million for couples and ¥3 million for families. The monthly fee is between ¥22,000 and ¥35,000.

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