Large pickleball facilities are growing in popularity. One of the first was in Naples Community Park, where the US Open Pickleball Championships are played. Photo courtesy of the US Open Pickleball Championships.
If you need more proof that pickleball has taken over the country, look no further than Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where The Fort recently opened and is being called the “world’s first pickleball stadium.”
“We said we have to go all out, so what’s never been done before? A pickleball stadium!” The Fort’s co-founder Brad Tuckman told local news outlets at the venue’s official grand opening in mid-October (although it’s been open since January). “We have 43 courts — 14 of them are underneath the cover so you can play rain or shine, and then we also have the world’s first pickleball stadium.”
That stadium has a seating capacity of 2,000 seats, and the entire facility spans about 10 acres. On top of all that, The Fort — which ais adjacent to a park and also boasts a lake for water activities, a restaurant and places for relaxation after playing — is located within a deep lob of the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.
The venue hosted, appropriately enough, the Pickleball World Cup from Oct. 28 to Nov. 2. It also welcomed the five-day Humana APP Fort Lauderdale Open back in January — with pickleball pros, amateurs and fans from all over the country.
According to SecretMiami.com, “The Fort aims to support the community and make a difference, whether it be with local charities, youth and senior programs, hosting fundraising events and providing pickleball equipment and training to local public schools.
The Miami Herald reported earlier this year that:
The Fort … has the technology for players to watch recordings of their games, which can be a helpful tool for those looking to improve. All the courts are livestreamed 18 hours per day, viewable by anyone with access to the Internet…
Construction of The Fort, which took a year, came with a hefty price tag of $30 million. But The Fort has already made some major connections, partnering with the APP (Association of Pickleball Professionals) to bring two national tour stops to this site every year.
“We’re also receiving requests for international events,” Tuckman said. “People are calling us the Wimbledon of pickleball or the Augusta of pickleball, which is both humbling and incredibly exciting.”
Tuckman said this project was made possible because of a partnership with the City of Fort Lauderdale.
However, the project has been 100 percent funded by The Fort’s ownership group.
“We did this without a single dollar from the city,” Tuckman said. “The investment to build this facility made sense because we had the land through the partnership to bring it to life. But it’s a win-win. The city now has a world-class facility for residents and visitors, which will drive long-term economic impact. For us, we’ve designed this facility to welcome all kinds of players, from passionate pickleballers to those who are just looking for the social atmosphere. And people who have never played before can receive free introduction classes.”
The Fort is also positioning itself as a go-to destination for patrons of the cruise-ship industry.
“With millions of cruise passengers passing through South Florida each year, we see an incredible opportunity to provide a welcoming space where travelers can unwind, enjoy the park, grab a meal and a drink and even get in a game of pickleball if they choose,” Tuckman said.
In other cool pickleball-related news:
• The Fort might be in for a challenge from the Utah Pickleball Center in South Jordan, Utah, when it comes to vying to be the center of the U.S. pickleball universe. As the future home of the Utah Black Diamonds (the state’s Major League Pickleball team) the privately funded, three-story, 138,000-square-foot facility — estimated to cost $25 million — will be the “first dedicated indoor venue for a professional pickleball team anywhere in the United States,” according to South Jordan Mayor Dawn Ramsey.
It is expected to feature 47 courts, including 15 outside and 13 on the building’s roof. The first floor will have courts with spectator seating, and plans call for hosting two major events each year once the facility is built.
“For our sport to grow up and get the notoriety it needs, the fan following, the premium experience from a fan perspective, we need to have facilities like this,” Bryce Morgan, chief marketing officer of the United Pickleball Association (which oversees Major League Pickleball and the Professional Pickleball Association Tour) told The Salt Lake City Tribune. “So, it’s a pioneer for other places and other teams in the MLP or other facilities that are being built across the country for pickleball fanatics.”
• The former Coco Key Water Resort in Kansas City’s stadium corridor is now an eight-court pickleball facility and restaurant called SW19 at the Stadium, which is adjacent to the NFL’s Arrowhead and Major League Baseball’s Kauffman Stadium. It is home to the Kansas City Stingers, the city’s first professional pickleball team, and also open to the public. What’s more, a new Adam’s Mark Hotel is slated to open adjacent to the facility in time for the 2026 FIFA World Cup; Arrowhead will host six matches next June and July.
The $6.5 million project was led by urban core developer Community Builders of Kansas City and “addresses a need for economic revitalization in the corridor, as well as a response to growing demand for pickleball facilities in the metro,” according to startlandnews.com.
“We’re developing relationships with local youth organizations and school districts to invite the youth to come and learn the sport, no matter their skill level or experience,” Daryl Wyatt, a former professional tennis player and a co-owner of the Sting, said. “We want SW19 at the Stadium to be a place where kids can come after school to hang out, play, learn, and dream big” — especially as colleges begin offering pickleball scholarships.
• Another new pickleball facility in the shadows of an NFL stadium is now open at the Patriot Plaza shopping center near Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. The facility features nine indoor and six outdoor courts, a shaded players’ lounge, food and beverage offerings, and a full calendar of events. Collectively, the indoor and outdoor spaces span nearly 60,000 square feet.
According to WickedLocal.com, “pickleball enthusiasts can enjoy the courts until the end of October, at which point they will close for installation of [a] seasonal skating center.”
About the Author
