Sportime Pickleball Takes Over Yorktown Heights: Sportime Pickleball, a leading name in Northeast pickleball facilities, has announced its expansion into Yorktown Heights with a new 30,000-square-foot venue at the Yorktown Green Shopping Center.
The state-of-the-art facility, slated to open in fall 2025, will feature 12 indoor pickleball courts, two party rooms, a lounge, and a fully stocked pro shop. This addition will serve the growing demand for pickleball in the region, providing services including court rentals, open play sessions, clinics, and tournaments. Sportime will also offer a junior academy to cultivate the next generation of players. Hiring for key roles, including a General Manager and Director of Pickleball, is set to begin in spring 2025.
Pickleball’s Growth Fuels Expansion Plans
The explosive growth of pickleball, recognized as the fastest-growing sport in America, has played a significant role in this expansion. According to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association, the sport saw a staggering 51.8% growth from 2022 to 2023, with a total increase of 223.5% since 2020.
As interest in pickleball continues to rise, event attendance and TV viewership are also on the rise, as evidenced by the 50,000 attendees and 2.6 million TV viewers at the 2023 National Pickleball Championships.
Sportime’s expansion into Yorktown is part of a broader strategy to develop 200 dedicated pickleball courts across the Tri-State area by 2030. This move follows a well-established success in tennis, with the parent company, Sportime Clubs, holding a leadership position in the region’s tennis market.
Strategic Location and Community Support
The facility will be situated in the Yorktown Green Shopping Center, a busy retail hub anchored by well-known stores such as Uncle Giuseppe’s, TJ Maxx, Five Below, and Michael’s. The high volume of foot traffic at this location was a key factor in Sportime’s decision to choose this site.
Daren Hornig, Principal and Head of Real Estate for Sportime Pickleball, emphasized the importance of location in ensuring the success of the facility, saying,
“We selected this busy and successful retail location because of the high volume of traffic, which will further support the facility’s use and success. We also believe that Sportime Pickleball will be a great asset to the center.” – (Daren Hornig)
Sportime’s Broader Expansion Plans
The Yorktown pickleball facility is one of several upcoming locations, with new sites under construction in Westbury, New York, and Englewood, New Jersey, set to open in January 2025.
Other facilities are scheduled to open in Wayne, NJ, in the spring of 2025, and in Armonk, New York, in the fall of 2025. Each location will feature cutting-edge pickleball courts and a variety of programming to serve players of all levels.
Quotes from Key Leaders
Claude Okin, President & CEO of Sportime, expressed enthusiasm for the new venture:
“We are excited to bring a state-of-the-art, dedicated pickleball facility to the Yorktown Heights community. We know that local interest in the sport is already robust in the Yorktown area. Our new center will offer players of all levels a convenient way to learn and play pickleball at a beautiful facility in a convenient and popular location.” – (Claude Okin)
The real estate deal for the Yorktown location was negotiated by Hornig and Brian Ripka from RIPCO Real Estate, with Curtis Nassau representing the landlord, Oster Properties.
News in Brief: Sportime Pickleball Takes Over Yorktown Heights
Sportime Pickleball has secured a 30,000-square-foot facility in Yorktown Heights, set to open in fall 2025. The center will feature 12 indoor courts, a pro shop, party rooms, and a lounge, offering court rentals, clinics, and tournaments. The expansion is part of Sportime’s plan to build 200 indoor pickleball courts in the Tri-State area by 2030.
The facility, located in the busy Yorktown Green Shopping Center, capitalizes on the growing popularity of pickleball, which has seen a dramatic increase in participation. New sites are also under construction in Westbury, Englewood, Wayne, and Armonk, New York.
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