WESLEY CHAPEL — More pickleball for Wesley Chapel?
Maybe.
Plans have been submitted to Pasco County for the Wesley Chapel Athletic Club, a proposed indoor pickleball facility on Old Pasco Road, just south of Overpass Road and west of Interstate 75.
But pickleball might not be the only game in town.
Developers say they’re considering other paddle and racquet sports, like badminton, although decisions on exactly what would be offered along with pickleball are still in the early stages, and could be decided by what residents want to see.
Whatever the sports are, there will be plenty of room for them.
A non-binding conceptual site plan shows a one-story, 49,950-sqaure foot indoor facility occupying the western portion of a 6.87-acre parcel on the west side of Old Pasco Road.
The Wesley Chapel Athletic Club would be considerably larger than some existing indoor clubs in Tampa Bay.
By comparison, the Ace Pickleball Club facility in nearby Lutz, which has 12 indoor pickleball courts, is 34,500 square feet, meaning the Wesley Chapel club would be 45% larger.
And there could be more than just sports.
The preliminary site plan also includes two 12,000-square-foot retail buildings closer to Old Pasco Road, along with 231 parking spaces, including eight designated for people with disabilities.
Wesley Chapel District Park recently announced it was building the county’s first dedicated pickleball courts, outdoors, set to open next summer. The reason: overwhelming demand.
Before anything can be built, however, the property needs some changes as it is currently not designated for this kind of development.
Developers are seeking a small-scale amendment to the county’s comprehensive plan, changing the property’s future land-use designation from residential and public/semi-public to planned development. They will also need rezoning approval to allow the proposed pickleball facility and retail buildings.
That would allow up to 50,000 square feet of athletic club space, 25,000 square feet of commercial and retail space and 15,000 square feet of medical offices.
The non-binding conceptual site plan only shows the pickleball facility and two retail buildings, with no medical space identified.
Traffic will be another consideration as the project moves through the review process.
A transportation assessment has already been prepared and estimates the development could generate 3,072 new vehicle trips on a typical weekday, including traffic from the proposed retail businesses.
However, the project will benefit from the ongoing widening of Old Pasco Road, which is being expanded from two to four lanes in the area.
The developer says in the documents submitted that the location is well suited for recreational and commercial development because of the proximity to existing neighborhoods, businesses and the Overpass Road interchange with I-75.
The property is largely cleared, with residential property to the west and south.
No construction timetable or anticipated opening date was provided in the submitted documents.