Big Pickleball Dreams Produce Magnificent Facility in Arkansas
Twelve years of dreams began in 2006 with discussions, persuasions, promotions, and financial scheming. The dreams became reality with the opening of a new fourteen-court outdoor pickleball facility in Hot Springs Village AR on September 1, 2018. The forty-year-old tennis courts that became eight “Village” pickleball courts were plagued with uneven surface cracks and underground water that seeped onto the playing areas. Even with the bad court conditions, over 300 “villagers” played faithfully, moving to temporary courts provided by the local Boys and Girls Club from June 3 of this year through September 1 when at last the gates opened on the new facility.
105 players attended the Grand Opening Day, and a total of 595 players utilized the courts during the first eleven days of September. Many rainy days have curtailed outdoor play during this first month of operation, but the overwhelming response of the people who live and play here has been exceedingly enthusiastic, and many visitors have enjoyed the new courts since they opened. Given the nod of the Property Owners Association Board of Directors to the tune of $400,000, the HSV Pickleball Club, its officers and directors burned the midnight oil to select the right court surface, fencing, and accompanying amenities, and to oversee every detail of the construction.
Hot Springs Village, located in the Ouachita Mountains of central Arkansas and an hour west of Little Rock, was the brainchild of Cooper Communities Inc. and is the nation’s largest gated community. Known for the nine championship golf courses within its area of forty-one square miles, the “Village” is an outstanding recreation area including nine lakes, thirty-six miles of hiking and biking trails, endless mountains (all under 1200 feet elevation) forested with pine and hardwood trees. Nearly 16,000 residents claim the “Village” as home.
With fourteen dedicated outdoor courts and two church gymnasiums, each housing three permanent courts, HSV can provide many future “Village” tournaments on the national websites. Many homes and condos are listed on vacation rental sites, which makes it very reasonable to stay as many days as you like and play with us.
Contributed by Sandy McPherson
