BOCA RATON, FL (Boca Post) (Copyright © 2025) — Boca Raton’s love affair with pickleball hit a new high Wednesday evening as nearly 400 players packed Patch Reef Park for the grand opening of the city’s long-awaited covered pickleball complex.
The excitement was immediate. Eighteen glistening courts stretched beneath a sweeping roofline, fans buzzing overhead as players volleyed their first shots. City and District officials stood shoulder to shoulder for the ribbon cutting, led by Greater Boca Raton Beach and Park District Chair Erin Wright.
“Throughout the process we knew this would be a fantastic facility, but to see it open today in all its glory, it's even better than I expected,” said Commissioner Bob Rollins, beaming as the ribbon fell.
Moments later, Wright joined Boca Raton Mayor Scott Singer and Boca Surge professionals Rick Retamar and Brian Levine for the inaugural volleys—four paddles marking the start of a new era for local recreation.
“Unbelievable the work that these people have done to put this thing together,” Retamar said. “I've been to a lot of facilities all over the country. This thing is designed perfect.”
For many, the new complex represents more than just courts. It’s a community hub built around one of the nation’s fastest-growing sports. According to research by American Pickleball Professionals, nearly 50 million Americans have picked up a paddle in the past year.
“This is magnificent,” said Raul Travieso, an ambassador with the United States Pickleball Association. “It's going to be the premier venue to play pickleball in South Florida – maybe all of Florida.”
The facility, officially dubbed the Patch Reef Paddle and Racquet Club, includes two ADA-compliant courts, a professional-grade sound system, bleacher and table seating, water and ice stations, and additional parking. Its 18 courts are all lighted and climate-optimized with large overhead fans to keep air circulating through the covered structure.
Following the ceremony, Patch Reef’s instructors hosted a free clinic on one side of the complex while dozens of players streamed onto the others for open play, their serves echoing through the rafters well into the night.
Initial open play hours run from 7:30 a.m. to noon and 4:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. on weekdays, and from 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on weekends. Reserved sessions fill the midday hours. District officials say the schedule will be adjusted as usage patterns emerge.
Players can reserve courts and sign up for clinics or tournaments through the PlayByPoint App, which manages all bookings for the facility. Annual and semi-annual memberships are available for both residents and non-residents, with residency defined by ownership, occupancy, or lease of real estate within Boca Raton, the Greater Boca Raton Beach and Park District, or Palm Beach County.
The project was designed by Calvin, Giordano & Associates, Inc. and built by CSR Construction, which began work a little more than a year ago.
Now that the covered courts are complete, the District plans to rebuild Patch Reef’s outdoor pickleball and tennis courts in phases, starting with the outdoor pickleball area.
Opened in 1983, Patch Reef Park has long been a cornerstone of Boca Raton’s recreational landscape. Its Tennis Center, added in 1987, helped set the stage for what has now become one of South Florida’s most ambitious pickleball facilities—a space built not just for play, but for community.
