WINTER SPRINGS, Fla. – The pickleball craze is has found a brand new home in Winter Springs.
Construction is coming along on a state-of-the-art pickleball complex at Central Winds Park. Once complete, the complex at 1000 Central Winds Drive will be the largest in Seminole County, with 14 tournament-capable courts.
“On Thursday, January 4, 2024, crews poured asphalt for the playing surface,” Matthew Reeser, public information officer for the city of Winter Springs, said in a statement. “Curing usually takes about 60 days and it will be that long before painting, netting, benches, and fencing can be installed.”
Reeser said those next steps should begin sometime in March.
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There is also work underway on the expanded parking lot where crews are installing drainage and poles for lighting, as well as preparing the surrounding area for landscaping. A dedicated bathroom facility will be located between the courts and the parking lot.
Crews broke ground on the complex in November 2022 with an initial budget of $2.2 million. That grew to $3.1 million with the commission’s approval of extra funds for court size increases and upgraded lighting.
The target for opening the complex is early 2024, but no official date has been set yet.
The construction of the complex comes at a time that pickleball is seeing exponential growth. According to USA Pickleball, the governing body for the sport, pickleball grew to 8.9 million players in 2023. According to the annual pickleball report by teachme.to, Florida has 2,854 Pickleball courts statewide. For a look at the top places to play in Central Florida, click here.
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