HENRICO COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — The Henrico County School Board unanimously approved a $4.4 million contract with Rainbow Construction Corporation for the construction of an illuminated 12-court pickleball complex at Pouncey Tract Park.
The complex will be constructed after the current sports field, an adult softball field, is destroyed.
County plans state the complex will include 10 standard courts, two larger championship-sized courts, covered spectator seating and a 103-space parking lot. The project also includes plans for ADA site and sidewalk improvements.
“Henrico County residents have embraced pickleball since we built our first courts in 2018,” said John Zannino, director of the Division of Recreation & Parks. “We’re excited to meet the growing demand for pickleball courts with what will be our largest complex at Pouncey Tract Park. By including two championship courts, we will not only serve our residents but also position Henrico to attract regional and national pickleball tournaments that will continue to enhance sports tourism in the county and region.”
Currently, Henrico Parks and Recreation has 26 pickleball courts across four locations. The newest planned courts at Pouncey Tract will be mostly asphalt with acrylic surfacing and will be illuminated with LED sports lighting.
The county is home to several pickleball tournaments, including the Virginia Pickleboo Classic, Virginia Pickleball Classic, The Body Armour 804 Open and the World Pickleball Tour’s Richmond Pickleball Classic, which Henrico says draws in thousands of players.
Site work is expected to begin in September and be completed in June 2024.
Additional future plans for pickleball courts in Henrico include those for a 12-court indoor facility at Regency, by Performance Pickleball RVA.
