Pickleball America Expected To Open 'Very Soon' In Stamford

STAMFORD, CT — Billed as one of the largest indoor pickleball facilities in the country, Pickleball America in the Stamford Town Center is expected to open "very soon," according to co-founder Mia Schipani.

Pickleball America must complete the inspection process in order to obtain a Partial Certificate of Occupancy (PCO). Schipani hopes to secure the PCO in the next few days, which would pave the way for a ribbon-cutting and a soft opening in about a week, she said.

A grand opening party is being planned for the end of October. The opening of Pickleball America was originally slated for July, but it was delayed.

Pickleball courts at the mega, 80,000 square-foot facility will be rolled out in two phases in the space formerly occupied by Saks Off 5th, which closed in 2021.

Phase 1 will begin immediately with 13 courts in 38,000 square feet on the first floor. The second floor, encompassing 42,000 square feet and 14 courts as part of phase 2, will open at some point in the near future, Schipani said.

A "coworking lounge" for members is currently being constructed, which will be part of phase 2. People can work and play pickleball for the entire day if they choose.

There will also be lockers, a lounge, café, and a play area for children. Showers could also be a part of phase 2.

Created by local Stamford professionals Jay Waldner, Joseph Schipani, Mia Schipani and Jay Ross, the four joined forces to launch a "sports-tainment" center focused on pickleball, which is considered one of the fastest-growing sports in the world.

According to a report released at the beginning of this year from the Association of Pickleball Professionals, more than 36.5 million people played pickleball at least once from August 2021 to August 2022.

Schipani said 300 members have signed up already at Pickleball America, and around 500,000 people are expected to come through the facility over the next year.

"This is the fastest-growing sport in America. This is only going to increase those numbers because of the amount of density we have in the Stamford area. That's why this location is great in terms of the density of people and players," Schipani said.

A pickleball player herself for several years, Schipani said the sport is easy to learn.

"This is a game that is about socialization and fun, and playing with friends and family. It's not a club atmosphere. It's more of a community atmosphere," Schipani added.

Pickleball America is able to host any type of event, from bar mitzvahs to birthday parties and corporate team-building events, and even exhibitions, expos and large fundraisers.

"We are a pickleball community with an event space that can be used for any purpose in addition to pickleball," Schipani said.

The space can accommodate up to 1,000 people, Schipani noted. Pickleball America also has an exclusive in-house caterer.

About 30 to 40 events have already been booked for the rest of 2023 and into 2024, Schipani said.

"The city of Stamford is very excited for the opening of Pickleball America. The owners have been working hard to prepare and already have dozens of pickleball events booked and a growing fan base from near and far that is excited for opening day," said Stamford Director of Economic Development Leah Kagan.

"While pickleball is certainly the focus, it certainly highlights Stamford as a unique destination. We are excited to show the greater pickleball community all that we have to offer - whether people want to hang around after to grab a coffee or bite to eat at one of our many restaurants nearby or find a place to work remotely for the day at one of our vibrant co-working and community spaces," Kagan added.

Pickleball America offers a standard membership at $199 per person. Discounted memberships at $99 are available for students, seniors, first responders and government employees. Tiered family memberships are also available.

If members sign up in the month of September, they'll receive one free day of doggy daycare at the brand-new Luxury Dog Resort in Stamford.

Registration is currently open for family, corporate, house and inter-club leagues. These will be two, 12-week sessions independent of each other running from November to February, and February to May.

There will also be a Nike adult pickleball camp from Oct. 13-15. The camp will be led by the head of pickleball for the state of Florida, Andy Rubenstein, and it will be an intensive, crash course in the sport.

Paddles and balls are available for use. Schipani said Pickleball America has partnered with two professional gear companies, and will offer over a dozen different types of professional paddles for players to demo.

Along with a handful of full-time employees, dozens of "Pickleball Ambassadors" from various towns will work at Pickleball America. Each will be trained in CPR, and there are defibrillators on site.

Pickleball America will be open from 7 a.m., to 10 p.m., seven days a week.

For more information on memberships and full amenities at Pickleball America, check out their website.