REGIONAL matters
SWEET HOME ALABAMA — FOR PICKLEBALL !
By Jim Young
The sport of pickleball is putting Opelika , Alabama , on the map . Opelika was known as a railroad town but is now reintroducing itself to the world of pickleball as a destination for the sport . The Opelika Sportsplex (“ The Plex ”) is a 75-minute drive southeast on I-85 from the Atlanta Airport .
The Plex is home to 12 state-of-the-art covered pickleball courts . All courts are individually fenced and suited for tournament-style play , open 24 / 7 , and free to the public . There are 12 more covered courts currently under construction due to be completed by June 1 .
This year appears to be a stellar one for Opelika and The Plex with five major tournaments scheduled .
Mayor Gary Fuller of Opelika and the city council have been visionaries and provided strong support for pickleball in Opelika . The local pickleball community is working hard , along with the city government , to truly make Opelika a go-to spot for pickleball . For more information , visit
opelikapickleball . com . •