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Atherton parks committee weighs court time and key‑fob system as Player Capital use grows
Summary
Committee members heard a report that key issuance has roughly doubled and debated options — including a key‑fob entry system and negotiated time allocations for Player Capital — to ensure resident access while recognizing Player Capital’s role in court upkeep.
Don, a committee member reporting on tennis and pickleball operations, told the Parks and Recreation Committee that town court key issuance has risen markedly and proposed technical and contractual changes to reduce no‑shows and free up time for resident play. He said the town has moved from about 100 keys per year to roughly 200 and described a potential key‑fob system that would allow online payments and deactivation of inactive fobs.
Why it matters: Player Capital currently manages court scheduling under an agreement that does not specify detailed time allocations. Committee members and residents expressed concern that Player Capital routinely reserves multiple courts and long Saturday blocks — limiting public access at peak times — while also noting that Player Capital funded recent court resurfacing.
The proposal and discussion: Don outlined options the committee could pursue: negotiate specific court allotments with Player Capital (one committee suggestion was two hard courts plus the clay court for Player Capital), require Player Capital to reserve fewer courts during peak public hours, or change reservation rules to prioritize pickleball on court one when other courts are full. Don described the key‑fob idea as a practical way to reduce manual key issuance and to link online payment to access.
Residents speaking during public comment said they want clearer rules and fair access. Pat West, an Atherton resident, argued that pickleball maximizes community court use and questioned how much Player Capital earns compared with its rent to the town (commenters said the rent history ranged between $40,000 and $50,000 per year). Pat West said the community should review the financial relationship with Player Capital to ensure the arrangement serves residents.
Staff follow‑up and next steps: Public Works (Robert Oatia, identified in the meeting as the public works director) was asked to clarify Player Capital’s scheduling rules and revenue data. Committee members requested that staff return in July with cost estimates for a key‑fob system, proposed contract language or scheduling rules for Player Capital, and options for dedicating or converting court one to permanent pickleball use if donors or a conversion plan materialize.
What the committee recorded: The committee agreed to ask staff to gather more information and to return with proposals; no formal change to the Player Capital agreement or a binding allocation was adopted at this meeting.
Ending: The committee set follow‑up with Robert and slated further discussion at a future meeting.
