Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

After years of planning and significant changes to the original design plans, Troup County is ready to move forward with the long-planned pickleball complex.

The pickleball complex has been in the works for over two years. The county met with members of the pickleball community and realized there was a big demand for pickleball courts. Seeing the demand, the county began applying for potential funding through grants.

The project got started when the Callaway Foundation donated 2.5 acres of land for the new complex on Ragland Street along with $750,000. That seed money helped the county to receive a $2.2 million grant from the Governor’s Office in ARPA funds toward the project. The City of LaGrange also kicked in $350,000 toward the complex.

All in all, about $3.3 million worth of grants were awarded for the project. Using SPLOST funds, the county projected a budget of $4 to $5 million for the project.

Unfortunately, bids for the original design for the complex, which included covered courts, came in at $6 to $7.5 million. Working with the low bidder, River City Contracting, and the architect Smith Design Group, the county was able to reduce the scope of the project and “value engineer” it to a more affordable price.

“River City contracting was able to give us a fixed price of just under $4.6 million,” said Assistant County Manager Jay Anderson.

The new design doesn’t include the proposed covered courts, but it has plenty of them.

“It is 19 courts, 19 open air, uncovered courts for the complex that we’re proposing, including one championship court that kind of sits by itself and has a little more area around it, and would be a perfect scenario for it. If we have pickleball tournaments, this would be where the championship games will be played,” Anderson said.

The planned facility also has a covered pavilion with restrooms and ceiling fans where people can get out of the sun. The whole facility, including the pavilion and all the courts, will also be handicap accessible.

The commissioners unanimously approved the construction contract with River City Contracting for $4,599,259.81.

Construction of the project is expected to take approximately seven months, depending on the weather.