Denver plans to invest $2 million to build more pickleball courts

Pickleball's surge in popularity is pushing Denver's parks and rec department to take action.

Driving the news: Department leaders want to use $2 million from the mayor's proposed 2024 budget to build new pickleball courts across the city.

• The money would come from a legacy fund made possible by a parks tax that city voters passed in 2018, Scott Gilmore, deputy executive director of Denver Parks & Recreation, tells us.

Why it matters: This would mark the city's most concentrated investment toward pickleball to date, Gilmore says, signaling the craze could be here to stay.

• It could also serve as a solution to noise complaints from neighbors and a lack of court space for players.

What they're saying: The goal is to build the courts "in places that will not cause conflict for pickleball players," Gilmore says.

Details: The city plans to build six to 10 pickleball courts in areas at least 500 feet from people's homes, though not all sites have been identified.

• One that has, however, is Martin Luther King Jr. Park, where officials plan to use some of the $2 million to add six more courts for a total of 10 — the biggest concentration of courts in the city.

Of note: A pickleball court costs roughly between $400,000 and $500,000 to build, Gilmore estimates.

What's next: The Denver City Council is holding hearings on the budget proposal and will propose amendments to the mayor next month. The final spending plan will be approved in November.