Marco Island looks to build pickleball center where tennis center is now

Marco Island wants to give its residents what they want – and apparently that is more pickleball. The city is looking to turn its existing Racquet Center from tennis and racquetball into 24 pickleball courts at a nearly $5 million price tag.

After a usage study last year of the island's San Marco Road Racquet Center, "we have a high number of pickleball players and decreasing number of tennis and racquetball players," said Assistant City Manager Casey Lucius. The assessment was conducted to determine "how we could make adjustments to accommodate those changing needs."

On Tuesday (Sept. 5), city staff will present City Council with the island's Parks & Recreation Advisory Committee's recommendation for design and timing and the staff's financial estimates and suggested funding options. On Aug. 15, the committee saw the most recent drawings from Naples-based Agnoli, Barber, & Brundage Inc. and manager of fleet and facilities Miguel Carballo's explanation of the engineer's three options.

Marco Island City Council has approved phase one of a conversion of two existing tennis courts to eight pickleball courts , Lucius said. It is funded at $700,000 for 2024, she said. Next week, staff will ask the council to add more of the island's 1-cent sales tax money for the $786,000 plan the advisory committee selected.

A second phase would convert the remaining tennis courts into 16 pickleball courts and add parking, according to the engineer plans.

By comparison, Marco Island's Veteran's Community Park, which was completed in late 2022, cost $12.1 million to redesign, adding a bandshell with concert lawn for outdoor performances, a picnic and game area with giant chess board, bocce ball court, hammocks and outdoor ping pong tables, and a playground area with five pieces of playground equipment on 4,366 square feet of rubber playground surface.

Advisory committee wants pickleball center funded in one phase

The advisory committee wants the council to consider funding the entire project at one time if possible.

"By us phasing it, we are mobilizing our contractors twice," Carballo said. The advisory committee's chosen design would cost $4.78 million. Carballo said building the center in one phase would save $420,000, according to the engineers.

Three design options from engineers

Three options prepared by Agnoli, Barber, & Brundage Inc all add parking and convert all the tennis courts into 30-feet by 60-feet pickleball courts. The advisory committee considered one option not viable. That option has the fewest parking spaces, doesn't replace the 38-year-old Racquet Center building and would require visitors to walk across the parking lot to get to the courts. It is the least expensive at $2.9 million.The other two options would replace the existing building. The most expensive option - at $5 million - can't be done in phases but has the most parking. This option would offer 89 parking spaces, Carballo said.The advisory committee's favorite option would add 81 parking spaces, social space and the same 24 courts. Phase 1 would cost $786,000. Phase 2, which would include tearing down the existing building for parking and adding three smaller buildings would cost $3.99 million.

"I think it’s a great addition," said committee Vice Chair Dolores Siegel. "I hate to not have any tennis courts left."

The question of funding

Marco City Council has only funded Phase 1. Council members discussed funding at its Aug. 21 meeting with staff's suggestion that they ask Collier County for some of that money because it will be a tourist attraction for both competitive and recreational play. Marco Island could ask the Collier Tourist Development Council to partner with it, Lucius said.

"It has become so popular. We think it would be great to attract some of that competitive play - that would also help us seek funding from the Tourist Development Council," she said. "It does kind of move us into the future a little bit. We don’t necessarily need a racquetball court anymore."Advisory committee member Doug Kelly, who plays pickleball, suggested larger courts than the current design with 5 feet on each side of the courts and 8-feet baselines - the same as East Naples Community Park. Marco Island YMCA courts have 10-foot baselines and side lines of 7 feet.

Carballo said it's the minimum size to still be within the game's regulations. If Marco Island builds the courts wider, it would need to make improvements to the storm water swales, "which would significantly increase the budget." He said he would go back to the engineers to look at making the walkways smaller to accommodate another foot on each side of the courts.

The committee voted unanimously to send the $4.78 million option with smaller walkways and more room on each side of the courts to City Council, with a request it be funded and built in one phase.

"I would love to do it at once," said committee member Lisa Hogan. But if not, eight new courts "can service people right now."

More:Pickleball update: Collier County approves upgrades at Pelican Bay Community Park

Marco Island City Council meets at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 5.