Pickleball

Golf Coast opened more than 30 years ago, before Estero High School existed, before nearby Coconut Point existed, before the village existed.The driving range has been on life support since the Village of Estero purchased the 10-acre site for $4.25 million in April 2022. The plans call for the village to develop the driving range and contiguous property into a community entertainment center.

Action continued in Naples this week as players took part in the Minto U.S. Open Pickleball Championships — listed as the most prestigious tournament in the sport.Players and spectators come to the Minto U.S. Open from all 50 states and American Samoa, and from 29 countries around the world. Information from the Minto U.S. Open said that last year more than 3,000 players competed and 40,000 people watched the sport. That's a big leap from when the The U.S. Open for Pickleball began in 2016, when there were just 800 participants and 2,000 spectators.

The Association of Pickleball Players will host a five-day tournament at the PicklePlex in Punta Gorda Jan. 17-21 with more than 1,000 players expected to participate.Amateurs of all ages and skill levels can register until January 8 to compete alongside the sport’s elite professionals, including the first event of the 2024 Humana Cup pro team competition.

Estero Village’s staff and consultants will be busy the rest of the summer finishing plans for an entertainment center off Via Coconut Way and Williams Road.The Village council gave the staff the go ahead last week at its final meeting before the summer hiatus to negotiate agreements with Chicken N Pickle, of North Kansas City, Missouri, and High 5 Entertainment, of Austin, Texas, to provide entertainment facilities on 10 acres of the 20-acre site.

The world’s largest pickleball event is happening this week in southwest Florida.

A Southwest Florida YMCA recently spent more than a quarter of a million dollars to update its facilities for the nation’s fastest-growing sport many have…