New Rockford-area pickleball facility to feature darts, self-serve beer tap and more
In early May, Tim Ancona promised to transform the old Victory Sports Complex at 7003 N. Alpine Road in Loves Park into the largest indoor pickleball facility in Illinois — a 15-court, 54,000 square-foot facility slated to open to the public Thursday.
Here's what you need to know about Rockford’s newest sports facility.
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What can you play there?
It’s more than just pickleball. Customers can also play ping pong, bags, foosball and darts. All for free.
What activities will be organized?
Victory will not only have pickleball leagues, but it also plans to have cornhole and dart leagues. Ancona wants to hold a “Winter Olympics” in January or February with pickleball, ping pong, foosball, darts and bags competitions.
What hours is it open?
Victory will open at 7 a.m. every day. It stays open until 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, to 11 p.m. on Saturdays and 8 p.m. on Sundays. The kitchen will open at 4 p.m. at first but will eventually open at lunch time.
What food choices are available?
An upstairs restaurant will have a large menu, serving burgers, chicken, pulled pork, pizzas, salads, etc. It also has a tap bar with 30 lines that will serve offer choices of four domestic beers, four imports, a variety of local craft beers and a couple of hand-made cocktails, ciders and wines.
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It is an automated restaurant. What is that?
“You control the experience with technology,” Ancona said. “The tap wall is self-serve. You can pour as much as you want. You order food with a QR code at the table. If you want to sit and order in 20 minutes, you can take your time, but if you want to get something quick, you order with the app. Who has not had a great experience at a restaurant and then waited 10 minutes for the check? Here that will not happen.”
What is the cost?
All customers are either bronze members or gold members. Bronze members have no annual fee but are charged $6 an hour per person. Gold members pay $500 a year, plus $2 an hour per person to play when they reserve a court for themselves and their friends. But they can play for free during drop-in hours, when people play take turns playing against whoever shows up. Drop-in times will be up to nine hours a day — probably from 9 a.m. to noon, 1 to 4 p.m. and 5 to 8 p.m. — during off-peak hours.
What are considered peak times?
Peak times don’t start until November. In the winter, prices will go up on nights and weekends.
Why is every customer a member?
“A bronze membership is free, but we call it a membership because we want everyone who walks in here to be treated special,” Ancona said. “You can go into your app and schedule a court. You can sign up for a drop-in. You can sign up for a league. You can sign up for all the things we do through that (Court Reserve) app.”
When is the first tournament?
Victory won’t wait long. It is already taking sign-ups for its first tournament Sept. 22-24. And if you don't have a partner, Victory will help you find one.
Where can I learn more?
Victory Pickleball has its own website, victorypb.com, and is active on various social media platforms. The phone number for the facility is: 815-846-3043. You can also get more information via email at info@victorypb.com.
Contact: mtrowbridge@rrstar.com, @matttrowbridge or 815-987-1383. Matt Trowbridge has covered sports for the Rockford Register Star for over 30 years, after previous stints in North Dakota, Delaware, Vermont and Iowa City.
This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: New pickleball facility opening in Rockford, Illinois
