Collier County, one of the 15 potential targets for more than $180 million in indoor pickleball entertainment centers slated around Florida, has long been considered a mecca for the sport invented in 1965.
Based in Sarasota, The Pickleball Club already has locked in locations for Fort Myers, Bonita Springs, Venice, Port St. Lucie, the Villages and Lakewood Ranch, which will have the first within a couple of months or so.
More:With LeBron, Brady in on pickleball, group seeks to rule Florida’s indoor courts. What we know
The inspiration, in part, is driven by the interest in the sport by some of the world’s greatest athletes and well-known Hollywood actors, and more than 4.8 million U.S. players, as tabulated by the Sports & Fitness Industry Association.
“With major sports stars like LeBron James, Tom Brady and others getting in on the Pickleball craze that is sweeping the nation, we know the time is now to be the market leader,” said Matthew Gordon, a founder of the country-club style organization. “Pickleball is the fastest growing sport nationwide with no signs of slowing down.”
James and Brady are among the investors in the upstart Major League Pickleball, which began Thursday, was broadcast on the Tennis Channel over the weekend and will feature play in Daytona Beach beginning in March.
Who are the big names to have become involved in pickleball and invested in the league?
Professional pickleball player Anna Leigh Waters poses for a photo during the USA Pickleball National Championships in Indian Wells, Calif., Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2022.
Simone Jardim hugs her daughter Alexa Edwards after her win with teammate Kyle Yates at the Minto U.S. Open Pickleball Championships at East Naples Community Park on May 4, 2019.
Outside the gated pool area, Antilles’ regulation Bocce and Pickleball Courts have attracted players at every level of expertise.
