Pickleball Kingdom members, Mayor Joshua Garcia and residents celebrate the grand opening of Pickleball Kingdom with a ribbon cutting ceremony.
Photo Credit: Mayor Joshua Garcia
HOLYOKE — Pickleball Kingdom hosted a grand opening for its brand-new, state-of-the-art indoor pickleball facility on Dec. 20 at 50 Holyoke St.
The facility offered free open play throughout the entire weekend of Dec. 21 to celebrate the occasion.
Pickleball Kingdom introduced its 15-court premium facility to the Holyoke Mall in the former Bob’s Store space on the lower level near JCPenney.
The business currently has locations in several states, but this is its first location in Massachusetts.
In May 2022, the first Pickleball Kingdom opened in Chandler, Arizona, with raving reviews from fans. It had the outdoor surfaces but with all the indoor benefits, according to the business.
Founder Ace Rodrigues created Pickleball Kingdom to elevate the popularity of the sport by eliminating outdoor variables like the sun, the wind, the rain, the heat, the cold and the waiting.
Rodrigues said that since no ball in any sport is more affected by the wind, he thought it made sense to play indoors.
Pickleball X President Sheehan Lake talked about his excitement with the grand opening.
“It felt great to cross the finish line on this state-of-the-art facility,” Lake said. “Getting to open the facility to the community is always exciting and fulfilling. Holyoke now has a hub for competition, friendships and community. That’s what we’re all about.”
Since the Pickleball Kingdom will be in a mall, Lake added, “We’re trying to mix the retail environment of the mall with the recreational side.”
The complex will have a dedicated space to ensure pickleball paddles, pickleball balls and apparel.
Each court is also equipped with TVs for live scoring and instant replays, which Pickleball Kingdom says is an experience unlike any other pickleball venue in the region.
The new Pickleball Kingdom complex also brings a year-round pickleball facility to the region.
Lake talked about the rising popularity of the sport and the reason for opening another location in Holyoke.
“One of the reasons we’re targeting the Massachusetts market is that we know not only will the weather support it, but the surge in pickleball popularity is only increasing day to day, and in Holyoke, there’s only going to be a certain amount of time you can play outdoors,” Lake said.
According to Lake, the target audience of pickleball used to be viewed as the “elderly realm,” but since the popularity of the sport has only increased, he said, “that’s no longer the case, and it’s now shifted to between the 20s and the 40s as the main players of the game.”
Whether you’re new to pickleball or a seasoned player, Lake encourages everyone to come see why Pickleball Kingdom is redefining the game.
“Come check us out at Holyoke Mall,” Lake said. “We are open to all levels of play and all ages. Even if you don’t know what pickleball is, we have free Pickleball 101 classes to teach you the basics, and even private coaches to elevate your game.”
The current hours of operation are seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.
For more information about Pickleball Kingdom or to book a session or court time, readers can visit pickleballkingdom.com/holyoke.
