Construction on Marco Island pickleball center to begin in May. What happens to tennis?

This story was changed from an earlier version.

Pickleball is about to get bigger on Marco Island.

Marco City Council Monday night voted unanimously to demolish the existing racquet court building, championship court, and two clay tennis courts at the city's existing Racquet Center on San Marco Road, replacing them with eight paved pickleball courts.

That's Phase 1 of the city's plan to give residents a better pickleball experience. Four clay tennis courts will remain after the first phase. Phase 2 would replace those courts as well, for a total of 24 pickleball courts, however that phase hasn't been funded and could change, council members said.

The full design of Phase 1 was awarded to Naples-based Agnoli, Barber & Brundage, Inc. It was funded at $786,000 for 2024 and was included in the Fiscal Year 2024 budget City Council approved Sept. 18. The 1-cent infrastructure sales tax is funding $436,000, with another $350,000 from Parks and Recreation impact fees, according to the budget, said city Finance Director Guillermo Polanco.

"I think pickleball is where the significant majority interest lies in this community and surrounding communities for that matter," Council Vice-Chairman Jared Grifoni said during the meeting.

Fastest growing sport in the U.S.

Pickleball is the fastest growing sport in the United States, according to an August report by Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA) and Pickleheads. Players increased 85.7% in 2022 year-over-year and by 158.6% over three years., according to the report.

Pickleball is played on a badminton-sized court with the net set to a height of 34 inches at the center. It is played with a perforated plastic ball and composite or wooden paddles about twice the size of ping-pong paddles. The game has a reputation as a friendly, social event with multi-generational appeal. In the U.S. it is governed by USA Pickleball.

Locally, Naples is the home of the Minto U.S. Open Pickleball championships every April, drawing thousands of pickleball players from around the globe to the East Naples Community Park.

More:Marco Island looks to ditch racquetball, tennis with pickleball; center to cost millions

Marco Island conducted a usage study of the Racquet center in 2022 and found an increasing desire for pickleball and less interest in tennis, Assistant City Manager Casey Lucius told council members during budget hearings.

Should tennis be saved?

Councilman Rich Blonna made a last-minute appeal to buy land and build a standalone pickleball center instead of tearing up the tennis courts at the racquet center.

"I think this city would have the resources to purchase another piece of property and build a standalone pickleball facility that could host the tournaments that pickleball players are interested in, provide enough parking for people and keep our wonderful, historical clay tennis center open," Blonna said.

During Phase 1 construction, which is expected to begin in May, the council will consider Phase 2 design and costs, along with the need to keep some of the tennis courts or perhaps buy land to build a tennis center somewhere else on the island, Grifoni said.

"But for now, those tennis members will have a place to play for the foreseeable future," he said.

Phase 1 will include fencing, acoustic baffling, lighting, landscaping, and some other site amenities, according to the contract.

Keeping courts open during construction

"The construction is expected to be finished by quarter four of 2024; however, this is subject to change as we don’t have a contractor on board at this stage of the project," Miguel Carballo, manager of Marco Island Fleet and Facilities Department, said in an email replying to questions.

"Our goal is to keep eight pickleball courts and four tennis courts open during construction," Carballo said.

Fee increase?

Once completed, Councilman Erik Brechnitz said he would like to see the membership fees increased."If we have 300 people on the waiting list, Miguel, we gotta raise the dues," Brechnitz said. "That's just pure economics."

Chairman Greg Folley said there are 500 members currently.

Membership to the city-run facility is $188 a year, Lucius said in an email."I think that's something that the parks and rec department will be looking at once we complete this project," Carballo said.

More:Florida has earned a reputation as a pickleball haven. Where do we rank compared to others?