The loud pop of plastic pickle balls hitting the asphalt might be a deterrent for some luxury buyers. For others, the sport is such a draw that high-end condo towers are adding courts for pickleball — and its cousin, padel — precisely to appeal to buyers.
The latest is from CityPickle and its partners, who have broken ground for a 100,000-square-foot facility that’s part of a redevelopment of the former Ocean Breeze Golf Course in Boca Raton, the South Florida Business Journal reported. It’s CityPickle’s second Florida location.
Called Boca Paddle by CityPickle, the space will have 19 pickleball courts, six padel courts, locker rooms, saunas, cold plunges and an on-site bar and restaurant operated by Farmer’s Table, according to a press release.
New York City-based CityPickle partnered with Malcolm Butters’ Butters Construction, Life Time, real estate investor Mitchell Robbins, health care investor Stewart Davis and United Pickleball Association board member Brian Levine. Other investors include big names from the world of professional pickleball, including players Anna Bright, Ben Johns, J.W. Johnson, Jorja Johnson and Gabriel Tardio, and team owners Rich Chaifetz, Ron Saslow and Al Tylis. The partners raised $20 million for the facility, according to a spokesperson for the project, and it is slated to open in early 2026, the release shows.
CityPickle was founded in New York City in 2022 by co-CEOs Erica Desai and Mary Cannon. The duo has since launched 10 locations in Philadelphia, West Palm Beach and New York City, including at Central Park’s Wollman Rink, their website shows. Pickleball and padel play have experienced growth in recent years, fueling a demand for courts across the country. The market for pickleball is expected to grow to $4.4 billion by 2033, pickleball news site the Dink reported.
Perhaps it will grow especially fast here: Seven of the top 10 ranked global pickleball players reside in the Boca Raton area, Levine told the South Florida Business Journal.
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