MACON, Ga. — It's national pickleball day and Macon is working to open the largest indoor pickleball facility later this year.
According to regulars like Jeryy Carter at Tattnall Square Park, Macon has become the place to be in Central Georgia for pickleball.
"It's exciting to be in middle Georgia because we have people come from Milledgeville, Warner Robins, Perry just to come down here to play on our facilities and it's great competition," Carr said.
Macon Pickleball Association's president, Paul Midkiff, is excited for the facility expansion and is grateful for the support from the city.
"I think the city is seeing what the economic impact can do for our town, but I think also it makes our community healthier and happier," Midkiff said. "If you're out on a pickleball court, you can't go very long without hearing a lot of laughter."
The new indoor facility is going to be located at the Macon Mall and is expected to be open later this year. Midkiff is eager to get started as the tournament calendar begins to fill up.
"I think they've already started talking tournament reservations for 2024, so there are already a couple tournaments on the books for January and February of the next year in that new facility," Midkiff said.
The new facility will be large in size, but Midkiff believes the impact could be even bigger.
"I think it's going to be huge, I really do," he said. "I think our tournaments that have been averaging over 300 are gonna at least maybe triple in size, so I think we'll start you know seeing those tournaments approaching a 1,000 person mark. Then you have a few of those every year, the economic impact it'll be great for our town."
Players like Carter are ready to be part of the energy the new facility will bring to the Central Georgia pickleball scene.
"It's exciting because we're going to get to see some of the top-level players in the United States here at our facilities and just to be able to watch them," Carter said. "We see them on T.V. and videos and stuff, but just to be able to be part of it and watching it in person is very exciting."
Until the grand opening of the indoor facility later this year, folks can continue to play at Tattnall Square Park. Pickleball 101 classes will be provided there by the Macon Pickleball Association starting next week. To find more information, you can visit the Macon Pickleball website.