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Park committee presses Player Capital over heavy court reservations; QR check‑in and limits proposed
Summary
Committee members raised concerns that Player Capital frequently reserves four courts for long blocks, limiting public tennis and pickleball access; proposals include capping Player Capital to three courts, exploring a clay‑to‑hard conversion (roughly $80,000 estimate mentioned), and technical fixes such as QR check‑in or keypad systems to deter no‑shows.
Committee members spent the largest portion of the meeting pressing for changes to how Player Capital reserves courts at Holbrook Palmer Park, saying the provider’s bookings often restrict public access.
A committee member reported that "this coming Saturday, Player Capital has 4 courts reserved from 8 in the morning till 6 at night," and said those reservations leave "very little for the public." Members said the reservations are particularly restrictive on weekends when resident demand is highest and noted instances where reserved courts remain unused.
Several committee members proposed limiting Player Capital to use of three courts simultaneously — the clay court plus two hard courts — or restricting full reservations during busy Saturday hours to free space for residents and keyholders. One member also raised the possibility of asking the council to change hours or the agreement if the committee lacks authority to do so directly.
The committee discussed enforcement options to address no‑shows and phantom reservations. A proposed technical solution was a QR check‑in system where players scan a code at the court to confirm presence; repeated failure to check in would trigger a temporary loss of reservation privileges. A keypad or modern reservation hardware were also suggested as longer‑term fixes.
The group also flagged a longstanding problem with the clay court, which players said "is not a clay court" and has caused service and usage issues. A preliminary on‑site estimate mentioned converting the surface to hard court at about $80,000; members said that conversion could remove a source of lost court time but noted that no funding or timeline was approved.
The committee agreed to discuss parameters, enforcement ideas and scheduling adjustments with Player Capital and Robert before making formal recommendations to the council. No formal change to the contract or immediate council action was approved at the meeting.
Why it matters: frequent, long reservations by a single provider can squeeze public access to municipal courts and affect residents who rely on walk‑up or short‑notice play. The committee seeks a balance that preserves program partnerships while protecting public use.
Next steps: staff and committee members will meet with Player Capital and report back to the committee; technical pilot ideas (QR check‑in, keypad) will be explored for feasibility.
