Pickleball and events center coming to Bigfork

Heavy wildfire smoke from the West Coast did little to dampen the enthusiasm on the pickleball courts at Bigfork’s Montana Athletic Club last Thursday. Dozens of players rotated about the courts, stopping to chat between matches, their conversation interrupted only by resounding thwacks as the pickleball flew back and forth across the net. Pickleball can be played with doubles or singles on courts about a quarter the size of a tennis court. Players use small paddles to hit a plastic ball over a net and newcomers can usually pick up the basic rules of the game in a matter of minutes. It’s accessible, affordable — and growing rapidly.

According to the United States Pickleball Association, participation has grown by a staggering 650 percent over the last six years with an estimated 3.1 million players nationwide. The Flathead Valley has witnessed a similar boom in the sport, growing from 50 local players six years ago to between 300 and 400 today, certified pickleball coach Steven Michaud said.

“You play it once and you just fall in love with it,” he said. “Tennis players always give us a hard time because we’re so loud and laughing.”

To meet the growing demand, a group of local investors and pickleball enthusiasts, Third Shot Partners, have pooled their resources to bring an indoor pickleball center to Bigfork. The Jewel Basin Center, located east of the Montana 35 and 83 intersection, will soon be home to a 12,00 square foot building that will house four indoor and four outdoor pickleball courts, with room for expansion. The facility will be the home base for the newly founded Two Rivers Pickleball Club, named in honor of the Flathead and Swan Rivers. And although design/build firm R Porch Construction has yet to break ground on the Jewel, founder Jim Lafferty said the club is already taking off.

“Just from a powerpoint — nobody’s seen a building yet — as of this morning, we have 111 members,” he said.

The Jewel Basin Center will feature amenities like showers, a kitchen, conference room and a second floor observation room, but the real showstopper is the northern wall of the building which can be hydraulically elevated to reveal a gorgeous mountain view. The courts were designed for quick take down so the venue can easily host events like weddings, reunions or banquets.

“We’re going to have a great pickleball facility, it will primarily be for pickleball players, but at certain times of the year there will be blackout times on the pickleball calendar where there might be an outdoor event,” Lafferty explained.

The Jewel can seat over 500 people inside and can also accommodate smaller groups in two rooms, which will also be available for rent.

“We’re hoping that it adds value to the whole Valley,” he added. “We’ve studied the different events centers, and there’s some pretty ones, but there’s nothing that can handle the types of events that we could handle here.”

As of Sept. 17, Lafferty received the go-ahead to begin working on the site and a groundbreaking ceremony is scheduled for today, Sept. 23, at 3 p.m. He estimates that the Jewel will be open for play in the late winter or early spring and has already received interest from organizations like the Super Senior International Pickleball Association and travel company, Pickleball Trips, about using the facility.

“We have people all over the world cheering us on already,” Lafferty said.

BREAKOUT:

Get involved:

Learn more about the Jewel Basin Center and Two Rivers Pickleball Club by visiting www.tworiverspickleball.com or search for the club on Facebook. Contact club president Jill Rea at trpc.pres@gmail.com

Membership fees for the club are $59 monthly or $595 annually for an individual, $89 monthly or $925 annually for a family. Drop-in rates are $8 per session and private court or ball machine rentals will be available for an additional fee.

The Jewel Basin Center, home of the Two Rivers Pickleball Club, is scheduled to be complete in late winter or early spring.