(The Center Square) — A $10 million pickleball park could be coming to Caddo Parish as the Caddo Commission considers an ordinance to appropriate the funds for the potential project.
While the newly proposed project did not spark debate, questions arose from the commission as they considered the eight figure cost of the facility.
Patrick Wesley, Director of the Caddo Parish Parks and Recreation Department, spoke to the commission during the Monday work session about the project outlines and what it could bring to the parish in revenue and community.
“Pickball is one of the fastest growing sports in the country,” said Wesley. He noted several thousand residents have contacted him requesting dedicated pickball courts in the area as the sport picks up speed across the country.
Wesley’s presentation showed that many surrounding cities have built multi-million dollar pickleball facilities. Five hours from Caddo parish is a $50 million facility development in Springdale, Arkansas with 23 indoor courts and 30 outdoor courts. Less than two hours from Caddo is West Monroe’s $23.8 million facility with 16 indoor pickleball courts. Youngsville, Louisiana, roughly three hours from Caddo, also is developing a $10 million facility with eight outdoor pickleball courts and six indoor.
The newly proposed facility would go behind the Lash Family YMCA on Ellerbe Road and would consists of 19 regulation courts.
According to the ordinance, the park would be funded by revenue bonds. The Economic Development Committee has approved the project.
A few people took to the podium to echo what Wesley had mentioned, including Stacy Brown from Visit Shreveport-Bossier and Shreveport-Bossier Sports Commission.
“By having a facility that is large enough to host the bigger tournaments, a tournament with as many as 1,000 people can generate over $1 million, just that one tournament, in our community. It brings people in. They eat in the restaurants. They stay in the hotels. They stop by the gas stations… It’s a great opportunity to build all aspects of our community,” said Brown.
Parish Administrator Erica Bryant said, “We believe that the revenues generated from this facility will not only cover the cost of the bonds but the operations of the facility.”
According to Bryant, the commission approved up to a $30 million revenue bond issue a few years ago, and $10 million would be issued to cover this facility. The funds would not come from any current fund balance or revenues if passed. The money generated would pay the bonds.
Representatives from USA Pickleball, the Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, Visit Shreveport-Bossier, Louisiana Senate, Caddo Parish School Board, Shreveport’s Economic Development Department and LSU Shreveport sent in letters of support for the project.
The potential project could not only bring revenue to the parish, but it could also potentially bring jobs. The Caddo Commission will consider the project further on Thursday during the regular meeting.
Emilee Ruth Calametti currently serves as Staff Reporter for The Center Square covering the Northwestern Louisiana region. She holds her M.A. in English from Georgia State University and an additional M.A. in Journalism from New York University. Her articles have been featured in DIG Magazine, Houstonia Magazine, Bookstr, inRegister, EntertainmentNOW, AOL, MSN, and more. She is a Louisiana native with over seven years of journalism experience.