Fort Lauderdale commission approves $2.5 million plan to add pickleball courts to beach

After more than an hour of heated debate over artificial turf, concrete on sand and whether it’s possible to play pickleball in the rain, the Fort Lauderdale City Commission approved a controversial plan to add pickleball courts to the beach.

Dozens of residents spoke out for and against the redesign of Fort Lauderdale Beach Park, where there are currently two beloved basketball courts, at the city commission meeting Tuesday night. The $2.5 million project, designed by Fort Lauderdale landscape architectural firm EDSA, refurbishes the existing basketball courts, adds four new pickleball courts and installs artificial turf areas for lounging and yoga.

The plan was approved 4 to one, with Commissioner Ben Sorensen opposing. “I think this plan needs more work,” Sorensen said.

The park renovations will be funded by $1.3 million from the city’s parks bond program and $1 million from the Bahia Mar Community Development District. Bahia Mar’s involvement in the project was a pain point for several residents who said they’ve seen marketing material that advertises the pickleball court as a Bahia Mar amenity.

“I’m really disappointed that anybody who is against this particular plan is characterized as some kind of grouch. The public is not against beach improvements, which is why the parks bond was passed seven years ago,” said resident Nancy Thomas. “But agreeing to accept a million dollars from a private developer to make their desired changes to a public beach without adequate public input is both wrong and unnecessary.”

The rocky road to redesign

The pickleball court controversy began in January 2024 when the city and Bahia Mar developer Jimmy Tate struck a deal in which Bahia Mar would undergo a $2 billion redevelopment project in exchange for a 100-year lease on city-owned land. Part of the deal included new pickleball courts on the beach by January 2027.

But longtime beach basketball players were outraged to learn last April that the proposed pickleball courts would replace the basketball courts. Some critics believed that the change may have been racially motivated to favor wealthy white pickleball players over the diverse crowd of basketball players. The city later suggested a plan to install new basketball courts hundreds of yards south of the original location, which also upset local ballers.

Beach Ballers, a group of Fort Lauderdale beach basketball players, successfully organized to save the basketball courts and keep them where they are just north of the pedestrian bridge.

That lead to a new proposed redesign by EDSA, which the commission discussed last month. The redesign includes new trees and indigenous plants along with a 1,700 square-foot central plaza where the pedestrian bridge lands at the beach, flanked by an artificial turf “flex lawn.” South of the central plaza are the four pickleball courts. South of that is the outdoor gym area, which is next to the existing barbecue area.

Though locals were relieved to see that the basketball courts were saved, concerns over the redesign remained. Leo Lorenz, of Beach Ballers, told commissioners at the meeting that the design doesn’t account for how residents use the park’s amenities. He disagreed with the redesign moving the picnic tables and exercise equipment away from the basketball courts and closer to the pickleball courts. Residents who like the renderings “are never out there,” Lorenz said.

Commissioners and residents debate

Though the issue of the basketball courts was resolved, many residents still had complaints and concerns about the changes to the beach park. Some questioned if this is a land grab by Bahia Mar. Others disagreed with the layout of the design. Others argued there should not be any more concrete poured onto the sand. One woman said pickleball players are “uptight and angry.” Another pointed out that there’s a sea turtle nest near where the construction will take place.

The mayor stressed to residents that the beach park, including the basketball and pickleball courts, will be free and open to the public regardless of what they’ve seen on social media. Commissioners also sparred with residents during public comment over other complaints about the plan, especially the use of artificial turf.

“Fake grass is toxic, bad for the environment, and right now, class action lawsuits are everywhere,” said resident Chris Stachowski.

“We’ve got turf in every single park in the city, right? Holiday Park, Carter Park, Mills Pond Park. Every park that we play on in the city, where we’ve got fields, is turf!” Commissioner John Herbst said while some in the audience shouted over him. “Come to Holiday Park. Have you ever played soccer in Holiday Park? Come on up some time. It’s turf!”

Commissioner Steven Glassman, who represents the district where the beach park is located, rattled off several arguments for why modern artificial turf is safe for the environment, like the lack of fertilizer and pesticides. “The turf of today is not the turf of 20 years ago,” he said.

Other complaints were pickleball-focused.

Herbst said he didn’t understand the “hostility” some residents had toward pickleball.

“I think we should all be focused on trying to create more opportunities for people to come together, get out of your house, get off your phone, get out to the beach, enjoy being outside,” Herbst said. “Enjoy being part of a community, engaging with other people in a social activity. Spend time there. Enjoy what makes Fort Lauderdale a special place that all of us love and come together. I don’t see how that’s a problem.”

Unlike previous city commission meetings, several residents spoke out in favor of the redesign during public comment, arguing that some complaints about the park were disingenuous.

“When one claim is disproven, a new one emerges. That’s often the sign that debate is no longer about the facts of this project, but rather the opposition to the project itself,” said resident Bret Ribotsky. “What’s next? Maybe one day we’ll be told that these courts can create an unacceptable glare to the International Space Station.”