[ insight on ] what demographics might support such an investment .”
Last year also ushered in a significant wave of financial investments in pickleball . National health and fitness chains are changing how they back the sport , with Life Time Fitness being the largest aggregate owner of pickleball courts in the country . Life Time plans to have 600 pickleball facilities open by the end of 2023 .
Schmits added that he ’ s tracking well over $ 100 million in developments and projects , which only includes the projects where USA Pickleball is directly involved .
“ We ’ re seeing significant investments across many metropolitan and suburban areas ,” Schmits said . He cited the recent $ 500,000 donation from C3 Presents — the production company that organizes the music festival Lollapalooza — to the Chicago Park District for new pickleball courts in Grant Park as a great example of progress .
“ There are a number of large-scale public and private projects underway and several ‘ dink and drink ’ establishments in progress across the Midwest ,” he added . “ There are also private megaplexes with 40 or more courts being installed in a few of our major markets , including Palm Desert ( California ), Arizona and Florida . Municipal venues that come to mind are the 24-court facility in Evansville , Indiana , that has received a $ 1.5 million investment and a 30-court site in Wichita , Kansas , that is getting $ 3 million for the buildout .”
When it comes to the national conversation around pickleball facilities , one topic in particular has received a heavily disproportionate amount of media coverage : acoustics ( i . e ., “ noise ”). Schmits said that a miniscule percentage — less than 0.5 percent — of the nearly 11,000 venues have been reported for issues related to sound levels .
All the same , USA Pickleball has been actively assisting applicable facilities in addressing noise . The National Governing Body provides research-backed guidance and continues to implement a number of facility and equipment initiatives . One such initiative involves early engagement in new venue development , with the use of tools to simulate acoustic propagation .
Pickles co-founders Wanda Melampy , left , and Lisa DeMeritt , right , pose for a photo in Pickles gear . Photo credit : Dustin DeMeritt .
Schmits said his team is also developing more detailed site analyses to identify sources of noise and mitigation opportunities .
The majority of sites serve residential communities , consisting of “ pocket parks ” run by homeowner associations , city and regional parks , or publicly accessible multi-use indoor or fieldhouse facilities . However , the tremendous demand for more courts has created an opportunity for private facilities to open their doors and thrive .
In under two years , Pickles ’ Lisa DeMeritt went from wife , mother and realtor to business owner and co-founder of a bustling private pickleball facility . The facility in Hanover , Massachusetts , opened in 2020 and has since welcomed more than 5,000 registered players .
DeMeritt , a former collegiate athlete , began playing pickleball at a local recreation court a few years ago . Once her own children were in college , she realized there was a business opportunity in the sport she had grown to love .
“ I asked [ Lisa ] what she was passionate about one night at dinner and her answer was simply pickleball ,” recalled Dustin . “ She said , ‘ I don ’ t want to be in the entertainment or the restaurant business ; I want to be
SEE NEXT PAGE �
Feature
JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2023 | MAGAZINE 53