DOTHAN, Ala. (WTVY) -Dothan city leaders on Saturday opened a $6.4 million pickleball complex at the Rip Hewes Athletic Complex that officials said is designed to draw players and visitors from across the Southeast.
The facility features 25 covered courts with overhead fans, ADA accessibility, and an LED lighting system. City officials said the indirect lighting design — which they described as the first of its kind for pickleball championship play — is intended to eliminate direct overhead light on the court surface. The complex also includes a dedicated championship court and is equipped for year-round play and large-scale tournament hosting.
Billy Powell, the city’s director of leisure services, said planning began about two and a half years ago after staff toured other facilities and consulted organizers and operators across the region.
A $6.4 million pickleball complex opens in Dothan on July 11, 2026.(WTVY)
“This $6.5 million investment is just not a project,” Powell said. “It’s a long-term investment in health, community, and quality of life.”
Powell said the complex is intended to serve as the premier public pickleball facility in Alabama, with space for beginners, recreational players, seniors, youth and competitive athletes.
Hannah Shiver, executive director of Visit Dothan, said city leaders saw the sport’s growth as an economic opportunity.
“Several years ago, we recognized an opportunity,” Shiver said. “We saw the rapid growth of pickleball and believed Dothan could be a destination for the sport.”
“For us, this project has always been about creating opportunity,” she said, adding that tournaments and other events bring visitors who support local hotels, restaurants and businesses.
Opening day included free play, clinics, vendors, food trucks and a one-day tournament organized with Southern Pickleball. City officials said more than 250 players, including some who traveled more than 150 miles, participated.
Lisa Gaunt began playing picklDothan bets big on pickleballeball a few years ago and often saw other cities’ facilities as a model for what Dothan lacked.
“Every time we would go somewhere else, we were always like, Dothan needs that,” Gaunt said. “And to see it here, actually, I mean, this is amazing.”
Renee Boley said the facility’s appeal spans ages and skill levels.
“I love it that it’s basically all ages, young, old, anybody can play,” Boley said. “And you can be a beginner and learn, or you can be a novice player and come out here and play.”
City officials said the complex will host leagues, clinics and tournaments throughout the year as the city continues expanding recreational opportunities in Dothan.
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