GAME ON

THE PARADISE COAST SPORTS COMPLEX—ONE OF THE LARGEST IN THE NATION—IS A WORLD-CLASS SPORTS AND CULTURAL VENUE

The Factory fitness pavillion at the Paradise Coast Sports Complex

Sports and recreation are in high demand in Collier County for adults and youth alike, so county officials are working aggressively to create more facilities. One of these gems is the $100 million Paradise Coast Sports Complex—a world-class facility designed to fulfill the needs of local and out-of-town athletes, with plenty of amenities to please the non-sporty types, too.

The 180-acre complex in East Naples will ultimately feature seven volleyball courts and 21 synthetic athletic fields: 10 Olympic fields for soccer, football, and lacrosse; six baseball diamonds; and five softball/youth baseball diamonds. Being built in four phases, construction is expected to be complete by late 2023. It’s one of the largest sports complexes in the United States. “It’s The Ritz-Carlton of sports venues. We also focus on guest experiences, kind of like going to Disney,” says Paradise Coast Sports Complex Business Development Manager Jeff Walters. “I have to pry peoples’ jaws off the floors when they visit for the first time.”

Already in place are the 3,500-seat stadium with private suites and party decks, great lawn, amphitheater with a 32-foot-wide, doublesided digital video board, and The Cove Beer & Wine Bar. Community events,concerts, holiday, food, arts, and beer festivals, and drive-in

Paradise Coast Sports Complex

moviesare already on tap. Tailgating college football and NFL games are regularly televised during football season on the Jumbotron elevated 30 feet in the air. Food trucks, cornhole, firepits, and a rock wall are some of the other unique amenities that make gatherings at The Cove and amphitheater a family affair.

Local fitness buffs and sports enthusiasts enjoy the five multi-use athletic fields, mile-long lake trail with fitness bump-outs, the membership Factory fitness pavilion, and a volleyball court. The complex was planned to be enjoyed by residents during the week and draw out-of-town sports teams and tournaments on weekends. When it opened in July 2020, the complex debuted by hosting hundreds of middle and high school FBU Top Gun football players competing for regional and national recognition.

Plans are underway for large concerts to be held at the stadium, which has a 10,000-person capacity.

“It’s a gem for Collier County because it provides a place for locals and traveling sports teams to play tournaments, and it will function as a premier event venue for Southwest Florida,” says Walters. “County residents can take advantage of the Factory, great lawn, The Cove, and live entertainment on the weekends. It’s estimated that the park will have a $35 million impact in Collier County on an annual basis—maybe $40 million—so it’s a win-win.”

The Paradise Coast Sports Complex is managed by Sports Force Parks. For more information or to book an event: sportsforceparksnaples.com.

Paradise Coast Sports Complex Wheels Skate/BMX Park

On the Ball

With 90 golf courses, Collier County has long been known as the “Golf Capital of the World.” It boasts three annual professional golf tournaments and challenging professional holes set against panoramic scenery dotted with wildlife. But it might as well be known as the “Pickleball Capital of the World,” too.

At public facilities and private clubhouses in gated communities, tennis facilities have been speedily renovated to incorporate pickleball play in response to its surge as the fastest-growing sport in the nation. East Naples Community Park—which has hosted the U.S. Open Pickleball Championships annually since its 2016 inception—is the hotspot. An ambitious renovation expanded its pickleball courts to 64, along with other upgrades. The next phases will add a 3,500-seat stadium, 1,000 parking spots, and welcome center with locker rooms and a pro shop (expected to open by spring 2022). The championships typically draw an estimated 2,100 visitors each April.

Find your athletic bliss at Collier County’s 69 neighborhood, community, regional parks (collierparks.com), which offer a wide range of recreational options, wellness programs, summer camps, and family-friendly playgrounds and picnic pavilions. These are some of the main draws:

U.S. OPEN PICKLEBALL

soccer and softball, lacrosse, basketball, RecPlex Fitness Complex, 2.5-mile walking trail, Sun-N-Fun Lagoon Sugden Regional Park: Sailing, skiing, and swimming on the 60-acre lake, open play area and playground, amphitheater, pavilions Veterans Community Park: Softball and youth baseball, bocce, tennis, and racquetball, soccer/football, sand volleyball, covered rink, and Rover Run Dog Park Vineyards Community Park: Lacrosse, soccer, softball, tennis, basketball, racquetball, walking trail, children’s splash zone Wheels Skate/BMX Park: An annex of the Golden Gate Community Center, Wheels features a pro shop with skate clinics, band shell, skate park, National Bicycle League-sanctioned BMX track, and a game room (naplesbmx.com)

East Naples Community Park: In addition to pickleball, it offers basketball, tennis, racquetball, softball, and soccer, and a .75-mile jogging trail Golden Gate Community Park: Youth softball and baseball, tennis, soccer/football, basketball, shuffleboard, bocce, fitness and nature trails, swimming pools North Collier Regional Park: Tournament