St. Pete to Open New Pickleball Courts: St. Petersburg will introduce a massive 45,000-square-foot sports entertainment venue with pickleball courts, padel courts, table tennis, a full-service restaurant, and a cocktail bar.
The St. Pete Athletic Paddle & Social Club has signed a lease at 2544 Fairfield Avenue South inside The Factory, a 90,000-square-foot arts and culture hub located on the Pinellas Trail in the Warehouse Arts District.
The club, which occupies 30,000 square feet of existing space on the west side of The Factory property, will also expand with an additional 15,000 square feet for more pickleball courts.
The venue is the creation of serial entrepreneur Reuben Pressman and Graham D’Amico, owner of Major League Pickleball’s Florida Smash, along with key partners Jarrett Sabatini and Nathan Stonecipher.
well-known investors include ARK Invest founder Cathie Wood, Neptune Flood executives Trevor Burgess and Jon Carlon, professional pickleball players Catherine Parenteau and Travis Rettenmier, and former WTA chairman and CEO Larry Scott.
“We believe this is the perfect location to bring a new accessible and social experience to St. Petersburg” – (Pressman)
St. Pete Athletic will offer 14 indoor pickleball courts designed for players of all skill levels. The club will have a members-only lounge and garden, a restaurant and pro shop with preferred pricing, locker rooms, showers, and a boutique fitness studio.
Memberships are available at an introductory price of $200 per month for the first 1,000 members. Non-members can also enjoy specialized clinics, personalized lessons with pros, tournaments, leagues, and kids camps.
The courts will include advanced sports technology like instant replays, live scorekeeping, an app for reserving courts, and coaching lessons.
In addition to pickleball, the club will have six table tennis tables in cabana-style play areas and two indoor grass and turf courts for padel, a Mexican racket sport.
Although the focus is on pickleball, Pressman highlights the goal of creating a social destination for St. Pete residents. The club will include a full-service restaurant and cocktail bar managed by Jarrett Sabatini, featuring “country club classics” with elevated, approachable food.
“We are building this as an experience that everyone can enjoy and benefit from,. The social club aspect is something missing in St. Pete.”-(Sabatini)
Patrons can enjoy food and beverages while watching live matches, with orders available via iPad and QR codes. The venue will also feature a craft beer concept from Green Bench Brewing.
“Helping activate The Factory by bringing an inclusive range of demographics and providing new amenities to the district was top of mind when deciding on the perfect location.”-(Pressman.)
The club will operate daily from 5 a.m. to midnight and will be the only facility in Florida to offer pickleball, padel, and table tennis under one roof.
Pickleball’s popularity has risen, growing 223.5% since 2020. The new venue addresses the demand for more courts and facilities in St. Petersburg.
Early in 2025, St. Pete Athletic will open as the city’s first facility with more than six pickleball courts.
News in Brief: St. Pete to Open New Pickleball Courts
Early next year, St. Petersburg will welcome the St. Pete Athletic Paddle & Social Club, a 45,000-square-foot sports venue presenting pickleball, padel, table tennis, a restaurant, and a cocktail bar. Located in The Factory Arts Hub, the club is led by Reuben Pressman and Graham D’Amico, with key investors like ARK Invest’s Cathie Wood. The club offers 14 indoor pickleball courts, six table tennis tables, and two padel courts, along with advanced sports technology and a members-only lounge. It aims to create a social destination with facilities like a full-service restaurant and craft beer concept from Green Bench Brewing.
