Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Snyder Park Pickleball P3 topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Former banker-turned-volunteer outlines $30 million private pickleball complex at Snyder Park
Summary
A private public-private partnership opened Snyder Park's south side with 43 courts and programs; the presenter said investors built the facility at no cost to the city and expect economic benefits for hotels, restaurants and community programs.
Rich Campillo, a Fort Lauderdale resident and community volunteer, told the Parks & Recreation Advisory Board that a private investor group built a large pickleball complex at Snyder Parks south side through a public-private partnership that required no city capital outlay and, he said, has generated early economic activity and community programming.
Campillo described the project as a multi-component development at Snyder Park that includes 43 pickleball courts, a beach-club area, a pickleball club and preserved park areas. He said investors put in $30,000,000 to construct the facility and that initial estimates show roughly $10,000,000 in annual economic impact tied to tournaments, hotel stays and spending at local restaurants. Campillo said organizers opened the site in January and are running community programs such as free beginner lessons, youth academy training, autism-friendly lessons and other wellness events.
Campillo told the board the facility operates under a long-term license with the city and that the agreement includes resident, first-responder and veteran discounts. He described Snyder Park as an area that had been underused for decades and said the project revitalized the south side of the park while leaving existing activities like disc golf in place; staff and partners worked with the Broward County Disc Golf Association to relocate five holes rather than eliminate the sport.
Board members asked about public access, the license term and fiscal impacts. Campillo said the development is a public-private partnership (P3) and described a 50-year license with additional renewal terms, saying investors expected to recover through operations and tournaments. "We, as investors, put in $30,000,000 to build this facility. It doesn't cost anything to the city," Campillo said during his remarks. He added that the project aims to attract national tournaments and visiting players, supporting hotels and restaurants.
Campillo also emphasized community outreach: the site offers free introductory sessions and partners with nonprofits for programming (for example, lessons for children on the autism spectrum). He encouraged board members and residents to visit the facility and said the complex had already drawn families, youth players and professional-level athletes.
Board members thanked Campillo for the presentation and the board did not take formal action on the presentation during the meeting. Several members expressed support for the project and appreciation for the community programs described.
