As popular pickleball spot expands, is this addictive sport taking over Leland?

Jamey Cross, Wilmington StarNews
·2 min read
Construction is underway at House of Pickleball in Leland as the pickleball haven expands to add additional courts.
Construction is underway at House of Pickleball in Leland as the pickleball haven expands to add additional courts.

As interest in pickleball grows in Brunswick County, one local facility is looking to keep up with the demand.

Construction is underway to double the number of courts at Leland’s House of Pickleball, an indoor pickleball facility that opened in 2018. Located at 115 Kay Todd Road, the popular spot currently has six climate controlled pickleball courts – each with cushioned flooring and customized lighting.

By this summer, that number is expected to double. Around November, site work began preparing HOP for the addition of six more indoor courts, as well as a large lounge and viewing area between the existing and new courts.

Construction is underway to add new pickleball courts at House of Pickleball in Leland.
Construction is underway to add new pickleball courts at House of Pickleball in Leland.

Pickleball is a fast-growing, social sport that combines elements of tennis, badminton and ping-pong. House of Pickleball is one of the only dedicated pickleball facilities in the tri-county area, with players in Brunswick, New Hanover and Pender counties playing mostly at public tennis courts that have been dual-lined with pickleball lines in recent years.

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Popular among adults and retirees, the sport attracts player of all ages. According to the U.S. Pickleball Association, more than 1,500 pickleball courts exist in North Carolina.

In addition to growing the indoor space, the expansion at HOP also includes adding some 60 parking spaces to the property.

In February, concrete was poured for the addition.

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The HOP’s existing six courts have remained open for play during the construction. In early April, the facility will close for around five days while the back wall of the court area is restructured to allow the new courts to connect to the existing ones.

A temporary wall will be installed before the existing courts are reopened to be accessible as construction on the new courts is completed.

Jamey Cross covers Brunswick County for the StarNews. Reach her at jbcross@gannett.com or message her on Twitter @jameybcross.

This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Leland pickleball haven serving up double the fun with big expansion