Massive pickleball facility in Riverside clears hurdle. It could one of the largest indoor pickleball facilities in the U.S.

The region could use more indoor courts for the fastest-growing sport in the nation because inclement Ohio weather means that people can’t play pickleball outside most days of the year, said Mike Bettencourt, co-founder of Black Barn Pickleball, which owns and plans to redevelop property.

“There’s about 215 days a year that you cannot play pickleball outside due to rain or wind or snow or cold,” he said. “A dedicated facility would give all the players a place to play year-round.”

Riverside’s planning commission this week unanimously approved a preliminary major site plan for a new indoor and outdoor pickleball facility at 4740 Linden Ave.

Black Barn Pickleball proposes to build a new sports facility with indoor and outdoor courts on the 13-acre site. The property is the former home of Smiley’s Golf and Baseball Center, which shut down nearly a decade ago.

The first phase of the project would create about eight indoor courts and a parking area. A second phase would create about eight outdoor courts and 10 to 12 additional indoor courts.

The indoor courts would be spread across two buildings.

If final site plans are approved next month, construction hopefully would begin in October and the first building and the parking lot could be operational in the first quarter of 2025, Bettencourt said.

Construction on the rest of the courts could begin in the spring. Black Barn also is considering putting food and beverage amenities inside the second building. The group may build a couple of championship-style courts to host tournaments.

Land near the entrance of the site could be a good place for a couple of new retail or restaurant businesses, possibly something like a smoothie shop, Bettencourt said.

This would be one of the largest indoor pickleball facilities in Ohio — and possibly across the entire country.

The Pickle Lodge in West Chester Twp., north of Cincinnati, calls itself the second largest indoor pickleball sports complex in the United States. It has 17 indoor pickleball courts and five outdoor courts.

A pickleball sports complex in Georgia has 32 indoor courts. Other development projects in Connecticut and New York were supposed to create 27 or more indoor courts.

At the planning commission meeting, multiple residents who live near the project site raised concerns about fencing and screening and the potential impact on rainwater runoff.

Residents and property owners said they already have issues with drainage and flooding and they worry redeveloping the site might exacerbate those issues.

“I love the idea — I think it’s absolutely wonderful,” said Rebecca Howard, who lives near the site on Roseview Street. “My only concern is some of the building and we flood tremendously directly behind there.”

Bettencourt said he understands neighbors’ concerns and Black Barn wants to be a good neighbor. Black Barn proposes to construct a retention basin to capture water runoff on the site.

Use of the former Smiley’s property as a sports venue is permitted by right under its zoning designation, said Riverside officials.

City staff, who recommended approval of the preliminary site plan, noted that Linden Avenue primarily is a commercial corridor.

“Should the site be developed, this could be neighborhood asset,” said Nia Holt, Riverside’s community development director.

Multiple community members said they fully support the project and think it is an ideal use of a long vacant property.

“It provides an attraction to the the region,” said Zachary Joseph, a newfound pickleball player and a Riverside Council member. “I would say that we have the Air Force base, Pettibone (coffee shop) and this pickleball court — that would be like the three big things that people are going to be like, ‘That’s what’s in Riverside.’”

Bettencourt said pickleball has changed his life. He said it’s great exercise, lots of fun and people build friendships and community through the sport.

Black Barn Pickleball’s co-founders are Bettencourt, Jeff Jett and Brandon Williamson.