If pickleball wasn’t growing fast enough in the Valley, the sport is about to hit a new level – by over 180,000 square feet. PURE Pickleball & Padel, which will begin construction in Scottsdale in 2025, is expected to be a game-changer. With 50 state-of-the-art courts and top-line amenities, the facility is poised to become a hub for pickleball enthusiasts across Arizona and beyond.
The massive investment aims to take advantage of the sport’s growth across the nation, with nearly 19% of U.S. adults – over 800,000 people – playing the sport last year. According to the Association of Pickleball Players, the majority of players (70%) are between the ages of 18 and 44. The site will also house USA Pickleball, the national governing body of the sport.
A 2023 study by the Trust for Public Land, a pro-parks non-profit, ranked the Phoenix area just 56th when it came to access to public pickleball courts per capita. Private facilities, however, are booming and can be found throughout the Valley. Scottsdale, with its diverse population of residents from families to Arizona State students, will cater to the growing demographic that has captivated the state. And for many people like KC Whitaker, a Scottsdale resident and avid pickleball player, pickleball is about more than just a game – it’s a lifestyle.
“I was a basketball player,” Whitaker said. “(COVID-19) kind of killed that. My best friend (and I), we turned the basketball court into a pickleball court, and I started playing ever since.”
The passion for the game fueled PURE Pickleball & Padel co-founders to meet the state’s growing demand, with overcrowded courts and long wait times. To help provide a solution, co-founders Kevin J. Berk and Brett Warner, in partnership with Caliber Co., a private equity real estate firm, are developing a facility unlike any other in the country and plan to open in 2026.
Source: https://cronkitenews.azpbs.org/2024/12/06/pure-pickleball-padel-facility-scottsdale/