The indoor facility — which will also be Arizona’s first — will be made up of 16 courts. It’s set to open in the first quarter of 2022.
Gabby DeBenedictis, Patch Staff
CHANDLER, AZ — Soon, Phoenix-area pickleball fans won’t need to travel far to play — the state’s first indoor pickleball facility is set to open in Chandler in the first quarter of 2022.
Pickleball Kingdom will also be the nation’s largest facility dedicated to the sport, city officials said.
The air-conditioned building will contain 16 indoor courts that can be reserved. It will also have locker rooms with showers and lounge areas and ball machines.
Players looking for a break can shop at a pro shop and enjoy a snack bar, beer and wine.
Memberships will be available and visitors are welcome, officials said in a news release. The facility will host tournaments, leagues and lessons, and a party room will be available for corporate events and birthday parties.
Pickleball Kingdom will be located on the northeast corner of Ray and Rural Roads, officials said, and its mobile app will allow members and visitors to reserve courts and sign up for tournaments and leagues.
“Chandler’s entrepreneurs are thriving and we are ecstatic over the announcement made by Mike Rodrigues that Pickleball Kingdom is opening in Chandler,” Chandler Mayor Kevin Hartke said. “Sixteen pickleball courts dedicated to indoor recreation is a win for Chandler residents.”
Rodrigues, the founder of Pickleball Kingdom, had the idea for the facility earlier this year — on Jan. 9, to be precise, while he and some friends were standing in the sun on a windy day waiting for a pickleball court to open up.
“Pickleball is the fastest growing sport in America because it’s fun,” Rodrigues said. “What’s not fun is waiting for a court, playing in the heat and having the wind affect your game. We’ve solved all those problems.”
