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Pickleball organizers report record turnout, urge more courts on Saint Simons Island
Summary
Representatives of the Saint Simons Island Pickleball Organization told commissioners their April tournament drew 205 players and an estimated $110,000 in local business activity, and asked the county to explore creating more permanent courts in Mallory Park.
Representatives of the Saint Simons Island Pickleball Organization told the Glynn County Board of Commissioners on June 5 that the sport’s rapid growth has made additional courts on Saint Simons Island a near-term need.
Murray Pounds, speaking for the organization and about 200 members, said the April tournament, Pickle Paddle Battle 4, drew a record 205 players, including 148 from outside Glynn County and 30 from out of state. Using figures the group cited from the Golden Isles Convention and Visitors Bureau, Pounds said the event generated about $110,000 in business activity for local businesses.
Pounds said organizers staged six temporary courts on Mallory Park’s multiuse courts in addition to the four dedicated pickleball courts, and raised $2,000 for Operation Bedspread through a raffle. “The SSI Pickleball Organization continues to believe that the dramatic growth of the sport requires additional facilities,” Pounds told commissioners, and said the group is willing to provide financial support for more courts.
Pounds and other speakers described high daily demand for courts, with regular play sessions sometimes exceeding a two-to-one player-to-court ratio in peak mornings. He urged the county to begin discussions about developing additional permanent courts on Saint Simons Island to support tournaments and daily play.
No formal action or funding request was made at the meeting; the presentation was delivered during the public comment period for commission awareness.
