Boca Raton is about to get what its developers say will be Florida's largest indoor pickleball and padel facility.
Boca Paddle by CityPickle will open Nov. 18, bringing a a 100,000-square-foot luxury racket
club to the city with 25 courts, including 16 climate-controlled indoor courts and a 1,000-seat stadium court, along with a full-service bar and a restaurant run by local restauranteur Mitchell Robbins.
Brian Levine, co-founder of Boca Paddle and Boca Raton resident, said the $20 million facility was designed to turn the city's thriving pickleball scene into a hub for competition and community.
"Boca Raton is the pickleball capital of the world," Levine said Oct. 2. "We are trying to build a home that will serve as the center location for pickleball and pickleball players' social networks."
Levine pointed to Boca Raton's concentration of elite players as evidence of its growing status in the sport. He said the city is home to seven of the world's top-ranked pickleball players and the top four ranked women in the world.
Boca Paddle's opening will take place Nov. 18 at West Jeffrey Street and North Dixie Highway, north of Yamato Road. Visitors can reserve a "hard hat" tour of the facility starting Nov. 7, through the club's website.
Here's what players and visitors will find at Boca Paddle
Boca Paddle by CityPickle is designed to give South Florida players relief from the area's year-round heat and humidity with a mix of 25 outdoor and indoor courts, Levine said.
The project is public-public partnership between the Greater Boca Raton Beach and Parks District, Pickle City, Boca Raton entrepreneurs and top-rated pickleball players Anna Bright, Ben Johns, JW Johnson, Jorja Johnson and Gabriel Tardio.
Membership plans will range from $49 to $149, with a premium tier priced at $299. No initiation fees will be required and day passes will cost $35 for Boca Raton residents and $40 for nonresidents.
The 25-court facility will feature 19 pro-cushioned pickleball courts, six high-clearance padel courts, along with the stadium court for tournaments. Of the 16 indoor, air-conditioned courts, 14 will be for pickleball and two for padel. Nine courts will be outdoor, five of them covered.
Each court will be equipped with cameras and 70-inch monitors that allow players to track scores, replay points and share their plays with coaches and social media.
Levine said programming will range from clinics, lessons and open play to leagues and tournaments. The facility will host more than 200 hours of daily court time and have dedicated courts for first-time players.
The club will also serve as the official home of Palm Beach Royals, a Major League Pickleball team.
The 1000,000-square-foot facility will feature a warmup and recovery area, physical therapy services, locker rooms with showers, saunas, a cold-plunge pool, co-working spaces, private phone booths and event spaces.
Visitors can also drink and dine at the Farmer's Table, the full-service restaurant that Robins will operate. The restaurant also will be open to the public.
Social relationships key to growth of pickleball, padel, club owner says
Pickleball is the fastest growing sport in the country, and padel is also catching on, Levine said.
Levine believe their success is tied to their social component. For that reason, the project is about more than courts and competition, Levine said. He envisions the facility will be a gathering place for players both on and off the court.
Levine said the social nature of pickleball and padel has fueled their rapid growth, particularly in South Florida. But as participation has surged in Boca Raton and across Palm Beach County, players have struggled to find enough covered and climate-controlled courts to play year-round.
Levine said there is a big demand for places do more than play sports and social aspects, and Boca Paddel aims to meet that demand by combining racket sports, dining and workspaces all in one place.
When it opens Nov. 18, Levine hopes the facility becomes a destination for players to train and compete while residents who have never swung a paddle to stop for diner and drinks as they watch a match of pickleball or padel.
"It's a very social sport so we are building a community where it's not just about playing," Levine said. "But it's just about hanging out with the people you're playing with and doing other activities."
Valentina Palm covers immigration and breaking news for The Palm Beach Post. Email her at vpalm@pbpost.com and follow her on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, at @ValenPalmB. Support local journalism: Subscribe today
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Boca Raton soon to get Florida's largest indoor pickleball, padel club
