Pickleball Facility Construction Done Right in 2025: APX’s Proven Approach

Pickleball isn’t just having a moment; it’s reshaping how communities plan recreation and how developers think about indoor sport spaces. In 2024, 19.8 million Americans played pickleball, marking a 46% year-over-year jump and more than 300% growth in three years, according to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA). It remains the fastest-growing sport in the U.S. for the fourth straight year.

Here in Minnesota, that wave is turning empty big-box shells and underused parcels into vibrant social hubs, nowhere more clearly than The Picklr in Blaine, a nine-court, amenity-rich facility delivered through adaptive reuse.

APX Construction Group has leaned into this surge, combining design-build delivery with deep know-how in pickleball facility construction. APX is recognized on its site as “Minnesota’s #1 Pickleball Court Construction Company,” and maintains dedicated resources for owners planning new courts or full facilities.

Why APX? A builder shaped for the pickleball boom

Turnkey delivery for speed and certainty. From feasibility and budgeting to design management, permitting, and construction, APX provides single-team accountability—critical when you’re racing a trend and pre-selling memberships.

Real facility experience. Beyond courts, APX’s athletic portfolio spans pools, lounges, and multi-sport spaces—useful when your program includes pro-shop fit-outs, locker rooms, and event viewing decks.

Adaptive reuse specialists. APX’s transformation of a vacant big-box into The Picklr illustrates how to re-plan MEP systems, lighting, acoustics, and circulation for high-traffic play—often faster and more cost-effectively than ground-up.

If you’re shortlisting sports facility builders MN owners trust for speed, quality, and community-minded design, APX belongs at the top.

Design Nuances that Separate Great Pickleball Facility Construction

1) Court spacing, safety, and flow
USA Pickleball specifies a 20′ × 44′ playing surface with a minimum clear area of 30′ × 60′ per court (34′ × 64′ preferred), ensuring safe overruns and comfortable circulation. When you multiply this across pods of 6–12 courts, small spacing choices have big consequences for play, viewing, and noise.

Pro tip from APX: Organize courts into pods with central concourses so spectators and waiting players don’t cut across live play. Add sightlines from a mezzanine or glass-lined lounge to elevate the fan experience without encroaching on safety zones.

2) Playability starts with sightlines and color
Contrasting line and surface colors improve ball tracking and help avoid foot-faults. USA Pickleball recommends consistent 2-inch line widths in colors that clearly contrast with the court. APX coordinates the finish palette early to keep lines crisp under high CRI lighting.

3) Lighting that feels “daylight-bright,” not harsh
Even glare-free illumination is essential. USA Pickleball and the ASBA outline classes of light levels; many facilities target 50–75 foot-candles for competition-quality visibility with uniformity ratios near 2.0:1. APX designs with high-efficiency LED systems and controlled optics to light the ball in flight without hot spots.

4) Acoustics you’ll actually enjoy
Pickleball’s hard paddle and perforated ball create distinctive impact noise. In a multi-court box, reflected sound stacks up. APX treats ceilings and perimeter walls with absorptive panels and diffusers, and introduces soft finishes in lounges and corridors. The result: energized buzz, not an echo chamber.

5) Smart circulation and social space
Pickleball thrives on community. APX plans generous sidelines, benches, bottle fill stations, and “social nodes”—lounges with views to feature courts, mixed-use party rooms, and pro-shop checkouts that double as event registration hubs. It’s the difference between a room of courts and a destination.

Materials that matter (indoor & outdoor)

Indoor surfacing

• Cushioned acrylic systems on concrete deliver consistent bounce and reduce joint fatigue.
• Modular sport tiles (polypropylene) provide quick installs and easy replacement in adaptive reuse, with shock underlayment for comfort.
• Poured urethane or cushioned PVC can work in multi-sport settings but requires ball-response testing for pickleball.

Base slabs

• Post-tensioned concrete excels for long-term flatness and crack control.
• Traditional reinforced slabs or rehabbed slabs from adaptive reuse can also perform when properly leveled and coated.

Outdoor surfacing

• Acrylic court systems over asphalt or concrete remain the gold standard for weather resistance and ball response. Edge drainage and UV-stable coatings extend life and color.

Lighting and controls

• High-efficiency LEDs tuned to 4000–5000K with good color rendering improve ball tracking. Networked controls add “event mode,” dimming, and scheduling for energy savings. APX details these in its lighting write-ups and project casework.

5 Innovative LED Lighting Solutions for Pickleball: Insights from The Picklr

Fixtures & fit-out

• Competition-grade nets and posts, divider curtains (for stray balls), and protective wall padding are planned with equipment vendors early so anchor points land outside play zones per USAP/ASBA guidance.

From big-box to big buzz: The power of adaptive reuse

APX’s Picklr Blaine project shows how fast you can deliver courts when the structure already exists. The team re-configured the floor plate for nine courts, added locker rooms and showers, integrated a pro shop, and tuned lighting and acoustics to pro-level play, all while building a community hub people want to linger in. For developers, reuse can compress schedules, unlock tax incentives, and reduce embodied carbon versus new construction.

Planning your Budget | Pickleball Facility Construction (and avoiding the “gotchas”)

Costs vary by program, but a single outdoor court typically lands in the mid-five figures, while indoor multi-court facilities scale into six or seven figures depending on MEP upgrades, lighting, acoustic treatment, and amenities. APX provides transparent budgeting guides and cost drivers so owners can right-size scope early.

Common cost variables APX models up front:

• Slab rehab (grinding, leveling, control joints) in existing buildings
• HVAC upgrades for comfort, humidity control, and fresh air
• Lighting (fixtures, poles or truss mounts, controls, emergency egress)
• Acoustics (panel coverage, STC partitions near lounges/party rooms)
• Amenities (locker rooms, cafe, VIP lounge/mezzanine, pro shop)
• Parking & site (wayfinding, EV chargers, accessible routes)

Riding the trend without chasing it

With participation still climbing across every age group and region, demand for year-round courts isn’t slowing. Communities are adding leagues and tournaments, while private operators want flexible spaces to convert for clinics, events, and socials. Planning for multi-court pods, short-format tournaments, and spectator amenities protects your revenue model as interest grows.

APX’s step-by-step approach to pickleball facility construction

1. Vision & feasibility
   Market sizing, site or building assessments, program definition (court count, lounges, events), and preliminary budgets—so you can greenlight with confidence.
2. Design-build preconstruction
   APX coordinates architects and engineers, aligning USAP/ASBA standards (dimensions, safety clearances, lighting) with your brand and business plan.
3. Construction & fit-out
   Slab prep, surfacing, net systems, divider curtains, acoustic treatment, and LED lighting are sequenced to compress the schedule.
4. Commissioning & activation
   Fine-tuning light levels and acoustics; readying the pro shop and POS; creating traffic plans for leagues, clinics, and events so your opening day feels like year two.

What owners should ask (before you build)

• Playability: What uniformity and foot-candle targets are we designing for? (Many aim for ~50–75 fc with low glare.)
• Acoustics: What’s the NRC target and coverage strategy for walls/ceilings to keep sound comfortable at capacity?
• Surface choice: What’s the right system for our use mix (leagues, tournaments, youth programs) and maintenance plan?
• Program adjacencies: Can spectators see feature courts without interrupting play?
• Future flexibility: How easily can we convert courts for events or add more later?

Ready to build the place everyone wants to play?

Whether you’re a municipality planning a community hub, a developer eyeing adaptive reuse, or a private operator building a membership model, APX brings the process, partners, and pickleball facility construction expertise to deliver a standout result—on time and on budget. From award-winning community work to category-leading sports facilities, APX has the portfolio and people to help you open strong and grow.

Let’s talk about your courts. When you’re comparing sports facility builders in Minnesota, put APX on your shortlist, and put players on your courts sooner.