One Swinging Place!

There’s a new clubhouse in town! Tennis is a sport that is known for high energy on the court. Now, the City’s program has a clubhouse to match. The Palm Beach Gardens Tennis & Pickleball Center has opened its much-anticipated 12,700 square foot, two-story Key West-style clubhouse. It’s a multiuse facility that will not only serve as home base for tennis and pickleball operations but can also host community events and casual gatherings. The best part about it? It is a public facility that is available for use by any visitor without the need for a membership.

As you approach the front doors, you quickly assess that the building’s design is unlike any other public building in the Gardens. The casual tone is set by a beautiful shade of pale aqua walls beautifully contrasted by exposed wood beams along the roofline. This feature continues throughout the interior of the building in the form of rafters.

Construction of the facility began in April 2019 and wrapped at the end of September 2020. After operating from temporary facilities for the past 17 months, the Center’s dedicated staff excitedly moved in and started making the building feel like home. The Pro Shop has gone from a crowded closet at the entrance to a full corner display in the lobby. Players stop by the racks on their way to and from the courts to admire the new apparel and the latest gear to step up their game. Well equipped locker rooms with showers replace the small bathrooms that players long outgrew in the previous building.

Just beyond the check-in counter, visitors will now have an added amenity. Whether for a quiet cup of coffee or a post-match nibble, the new indoor café will offer prepared food for purchase. The clubhouse also contains spacious options for indoor and outdoor dining. Continuing on the second floor, an outdoor balcony provides a gorgeous view of the Center’s 20 tennis courts. Multipurpose rooms and spaces and a catering kitchen are available for rent.

PROGRAM GROWTH The new building is fitting for a local sports program that has grown by serves and bounces over the years. Under the direction of Wendy Tatum, the Palm Beach Gardens center has undergone several transformations which have included the construction of seven additional HydroCourts in the last three years and the in-house management of the City’s booming Pickleball program that had previously been run under contractual services.

The Center is no stranger to awards and accolades. Most recently, the United States Professional Tennis Association named Tatum the Florida Manager of the Year 2019 for her efforts overseeing operations. In her role, Tatum directs the strategic planning, hiring, coordination of maintenance, professional contracts and programming for both the tennis and pickleball programs.

Due to the extensive list of programs offered, a host of USPTA-certified professionals staff the center; some working with the biggest names in professional tennis. She has a steady philosophy of making the game inclusive and welcoming for the Center’s approximately 250,000 annual players and visitors that has resonated with the community.

“To flourish, tennis must draw participants from the broadest spectrum of society. To do that, it must be perceived as open, accessible, and welcoming to all,” says Tatum. “Tennis at a publicly owned facility has those attributes.”

CLUBHOUSE LOCATION: 5110 117th Court North, PBG

PROGRAMS OFFERED:

USTA National Senior Women’s Clay Court Singles & Doubles Championships

USTA National Cat II “Les Grandes Dames” Senior Women’s Clay Court Singles & Doubles

USTA Adult City Singles Championships

15 Women’s Weekday PBCWTA and Palm team leagues

9 Men’s Teams

USTA team tennis on going throughout the year

Adult Instructional Classes

In-House Evening Adult Leagues

Adult Monthly Recreational Singles Tournaments

Adult Mixed Doubles & Lunch (Monthly, Sep-April, plus Independence Day)

USTA L4 G 14-12 Singles Championships

USTA Sectional L6 Tournaments (5), including Green Ball Sectional Qualifier

Youth Instructional classes

Junior Monthly Recreational Singles Tournament

Junior 3x Annually Recreational Doubles Tournament

Junior Competitive Program

Youth summer camps and holiday camps

SeniorWomen’s Senior TeamsMen’s Senior Teams

Senior Mixed Doubles Mixer (weekly, in season)

Adaptive Wheelchair Tennis -Adult Love Serving Autism (LSA) – Youth Wheelchair Tennis - Youth Love Serving Autism (LSA) – Adult Jamie’s Angels for Citizens with Special Needs

Awards: 2014 USTA Facility of the Year 2018 USTA Member Organization of the Year, Florida 2019 USPTA Florida Manager of the Year 2019 National USPTA Executive Manager of the Year National bi-annual Member Organization of the Year