With hopes of capitalizing on pickleball’s growing popularity, a developer has submitted plans for a 44-court complex in Ocoee that could host large tournaments,  according to a GrowthSpotter report.

The proposed facility would include a mixture of indoor and outdoor courts, with a site plan indicating that 20 would be indoor, with the remainder outside. The outdoor courts would be covered, featuring a roof that shields players from the elements and ceiling fans that can cool visitors.

Additionally, the center would have a 14,000-square-foot, two-story pro shop and cafe.

It calls for about 150,000 square feet of space on six acres at 1000 Jacob Nathan Blvd. in Ocoee. Property records indicate that the property’s owner, Vasant Sports LLC, purchased the land last October for just more than $2.7 million.

Representatives from Vasant Sports LLC couldn’t be reached for comment.

Plans submitted to Ocoee show a proposed “championship” court, which indicates that the facility could hold large pickleball tournaments. A staff analysis from the city says the owner plans to incorporate “real-time technology” that will notify players when they should arrive at the facility and when their designated court is available for play.

Last October, Sravan Tummala, a representative of Vasant Sports LLC, filed a trademark for Pickleball Connection, an app and software that helps pickleball players stay up to date with what is happening in the sport, track their performances and ratings, and helps connect users to local facilities, clubs, and tournaments. As of now, the patent is pending.

The complex went before the Ocoee Development Review Committee last week, where planning staff recommended approval. However, the developer may have to provide more parking, as planning staff conditioned approval on further evaluation of the number of parking spaces.

If approved, the Ocoee complex would join a growing list of pickleball facilities popping up around the Orlando area, coinciding with the sport’s booming national popularity. At least initially, pickleball players for the most part only had the option of playing on city-owned courts, with many cities converting tennis courts into pickleball-compliant playing areas.

But as pickleball has increased in popularity over the last few years, there has been a coinciding surge in private sector investment to cash in on the trend.

According to the Association of Pickleball Professionals, pickleball was the fastest-growing sport in 2023 for the fifth year in a row, with about 19% of the adult population in the United States playing in some capacity within the last year.

GrowthSpotter previously reported that The Pickleball Club, which currently has a location in Sarasota, plans to open several more Florida locations, including one in Orlando at 1427 N. Semoran Blvd. The facility will include 12 indoor and 2 outdoor courts, along with a pair of bocce ball courts.

Additionally, a 19,000 square-foot pickleball facility at 215 W. Grant St. in the SoDo neighborhood will be home to the Orlando Squeeze, a professional pickleball team owned by the DeVos family. The complex will include four indoor courts and four outdoor courts, along with a restaurant and bar.

Some municipalities are also getting in on the action, with Winter Springs set to open a new pickleball complex with 14 courts.

Have a tip about Central Florida development? Contact me at (407)607-8160 or TyWilliams@GrowthSpotter.com. Follow GrowthSpotter on Facebook and LinkedIn.