MACON, Ga. — Macon-Bibb County is set to announce the first tournament at the Macon Mall's newly-constructed pickleball courts, the county announced.
The announcement will be made in partnership with Southern Pickleball and Visit Macon at around 10 a.m. on Tuesday, and it will be streamed from the Macon-Bibb County's government Facebook page.
“Even before we’re fully open, we’re attracting regional and national tournaments,” Mayor Lester Miller said. “I’m excited for people locally and from all over the southeast to compete here this next month and to fully open to the public in the next few weeks.”
On the Southern Pickleball Team League's website, they have scheduled a two-day tournament at the Macon Indoor Pickleball Center from Jan. 20 to Jan. 21.
The event, the Southern Team Championships, features winners from the three other tournaments, including matches in Atlanta, Rome and Macon.
It all comes as the county gets ready for the grand opening of the Macon Mall's pickleball courts, which the county has been calling "the largest indoor pickleball facility in the world" according to a release from Macon-Bibb County.
They say the facilities will feature 16 courts upstairs to 16 courts downstairs and will have removable equipment that will allow the space to be used for other things.
Specifically, they said the space could be used for cornhole, proms, reunions and "other gatherings needing a large space."
Just this Saturday, Macon Pickleball had the opportunity to give the courts a test run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. prior to the facility's upcoming opening.
During the media event, they will also announce how the membership tiers will work.