Tucker’s Controversial Pickleball Project: On June 9, 2025, the Tucker City Council voted 4-3 to rebid a debated project that would add more pickleball courts to the Tucker Recreation Center in Georgia. The vote followed last-minute changes to the agenda, leaving some councilmembers and residents surprised by the timing.
The item was added to the agenda by Mayor Frank Auman at the beginning of the meeting, meaning the public was not notified in advance. Since public comments only take place at the first meeting of each month, residents will not get a chance to speak on the issue until at least June 23 or possibly July.
A Surprising Return for a Stalled Project
The project to build more pickleball courts appeared to be canceled last month. During the May 12 meeting, City Manager John McHenry said the city would not award the construction contract. This came after a resident raised concerns about the winning bidder’s license.
But Mayor Frank Auman and other councilmembers brought the idea back, possibly due to the upcoming city elections. At the June 9 meeting, Councilmembers Alexis Weaver, Virginia Rece, and Amy Trocchi voted against moving forward, while Frank Auman, Roger Orlando, Cara Schroeder, and Vinh Nguyen voted in favor.
Public Kept in the Dark
Several councilmembers criticized the way the project was reintroduced. Because it was added to the agenda during the meeting, residents had no prior warning.
“I’m curious why this was added to the agenda at the last minute, instead of when the agenda was up, because people don’t know that we’re having a conversation.” – (Councilmember Alexis Weaver)
Amy Trocchi, who also represents District 3 with Weaver, agreed.
“I’m a little concerned. I pledged to constituents that they would receive notice from me if anything was going to move on this project, and so I don’t totally feel like I’m going to be able to give them the notice I thought I would be able to.” – (Amy Trocchi)
Mayor Defends Decision
Mayor Frank Auman responded to the concerns, saying he was trying to be open by allowing the council to decide.
“In order to be inclusive, in order to make sure that it was in public, we agreed it would be better if the council decided it.” – (Mayor Frank Auman)
“The issue is, are we going to get another bid, whether that bid is good, bad, or indifferent, whether there might be some changes, large or small. We don’t ordinarily have a hearing or special public input on, ‘Should we get a bid?’” – (Mayor Frank Auman)
“I am tired of getting emails from all sides making all sorts of accusations.” – (Mayor Frank Auman)
Two Years of Debate and Legal Threats
The pickleball project has been discussed for over two years. It has faced strong pushback from neighbors near the recreation center. Some residents questioned the results of a city-funded noise study and submitted a different study that disagreed with the city’s findings.
In response, the city updated the plan to include noise barriers and cut the number of courts from 12 to six dedicated pickleball courts, with six more for shared use with basketball and tennis. The revised cost of the project was around $3 million. Despite changes, some opponents have threatened to sue to stop the project.
Pickleball’s Local Popularity
Councilmember Vinh Nguyen, who supports the project, spoke about how much local residents enjoy the sport.
“We have gotten petitions from the pickleballers with hundreds and hundreds of signatures. So you know us as a city, we are a limited services city. We really maintain roads, sewers and parks, and so this is one of our major functions, growing our programs in our parks.” – (Vinh Nguyen)
What Comes Next
The council’s decision to rebid the contract gives the project another chance. But it may not stop the protests, emails, or legal threats from those who remain opposed.
With elections coming soon, the pickleball court plan could become a key issue for voters. Candidates for city council and mayor will likely be asked to take a clear stance.
News in Brief: Tucker’s Controversial Pickleball Project
The Tucker City Council voted 4-3 on June 9, 2025, to rebid a delayed pickleball court project at the Tucker Recreation Center. The move revived the $3 million plan, despite public opposition, legal threats, and concerns about how the vote was added to the agenda without advance notice.
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