What is being billed as one of the largest pickleball facilities in the world, and by far the largest in Arizona, may soon see construction in Scottsdale.
An organization called Pure Pickleball has announced plans to build facilities for the increasingly popular recreation near the Talking Stick Resort & Casino on the south side of the city, off Talking Stick Way.
Currently in the proposal stage, the project is expected to see construction on an 11-acre site, and the building of 29 indoor pickleball courts and 16 courts that will be outside.
The courts themselves will be comprised of post-tension and premium cushion surfacing. Those courts will additionally be equipped with video cameras for recording games or streaming matches.
The planned facility will also serve as the official headquarters for the USA Pickleball organization, which is currently based in Surprise, and will have space for a training center.
Additional features: the building of 500-seat auditorium, gym, locker rooms, and members clubhouse.
In a statement, Brian Snider, a senior vice president with real estate developer Caliber, which has signed on as part of the Scottsdale project, remarked: “The demand for pickleball continues to exceed all expectations.”
Snider added: “We see opportunity for growth in this concept nationwide.”
According to industry statistics, there are now more than 36 million people in the U.S. playing pickleball on a regular basis. Scottsdale, with more than two dozen public courts has been rated by the site gambling.com as one of the top ten best cities in the country for pickleball.
By Garry Boulard