The newly formed nonprofit, Kentucky Tennis & Pickleball Center, Inc. (KYT&PC), is leading the charge on a proposed $65 million state-of-the-art nonprofit racquet/paddle sports complex. Driven by a coalition of local tennis and pickleball advocates and Louisville business leaders—including Will Davis, Dr. Mark Lynn, Ed Glasscock, Bob Willis, John English, Kevin Collins, Susan Moss, David Dick, Fred Davis, RC Scheinler (USTA Kentucky Board President), and others—the project will be used for competitive and recreational play and serve as a community hub where accessibility, inclusion, and innovation take center court. The new complex design is an effort to revitalize the historic Louisville Tennis Center at Joe Creason Park to better serve tennis and pickleball players of all ages, abilities and skill levels throughout the Commonwealth and beyond.
Project highlights would include:
- 12 indoor and 24 outdoor tennis courts
- 14 indoor and 4 outdoor pickleball courts
- A family-friendly restaurant, locker rooms, pro shop, kids’ club, and community room
- A fully staffed health club, sports medicine clinic, vision training lab, and virtual reality training area
- Publicly available clinics, leagues, group and individual instruction, and community recreational play
- Tournament-hosting capacity for local, state, national, and international events
- Design compliant with the United States Tennis Association (USTA), Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA), ATP/WTA/ITF (international professional tennis tours) and Professional Pickleball Association (PPA) standards
“This facility is being built for everyone,” said Will Davis, CEO of Kentucky Tennis & Pickleball Center, Inc., in the press release. “From local families and underserved youth to collegiate athletes and professional players, the Kentucky Tennis & Pickleball Center will offer something for everyone. We aim to make Louisville a premier destination for tennis and pickleball while enriching lives through community-focused programming. This project will also be another big step toward a healthier Kentucky. The Mayo Clinic Proceedings reports that playing tennis extends life expectancy by 9.7 years, more than any other sport in the study. The physical and mental health benefits of racquet/paddle sports are one reason that tennis just experienced its fifth consecutive year of growth, with participation growing to a new high of 25.7, a nearly 2 million player increase from 2023. Participation in pickleball has grown more than 200% in the last three years, to 13 million.”
Community engagement is a cornerstone of this project. Residents will be invited to contribute feedback at two upcoming public input sessions.
- Tuesday, May 6, at 6:00 p.m. at the Cyril Allgeier Community Center
- Saturday, May 10—Time and Location Forthcoming
As a nonprofit organization, KYT&PC is committed to expanding access to racquet/paddle sports through targeted outreach and programming for underserved communities—including minority youth, individuals with Down Syndrome or autism, and wheelchair tennis participants. Local supporter Bob Willis, known for his decades of teaching tennis in underserved neighborhoods, praised the project’s strong emphasis on equity and access.
“I’ve seen firsthand how tennis can change lives,” said Willis in the press release. “This project brings that opportunity to more kids than ever before.”
The Kentucky Tennis & Pickleball Center, Inc., will work to finalize a development agreement with Metro Government, incorporating community feedback and pending approval from the Louisville Planning Commission and Louisville Metro Council.
Project fundraising and final design will continue in 2026. Project leaders anticipate construction will begin by 2027, with the newly renovated sports complex opening in 2028.
Press Release provided to LEO by Tristin Schifferdecker, PriceWeber, PR & Social Media Manager
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This article appears in Mar 28 – Apr 3, 2025.