PARISH OF CADDO: "Proposed Pickleball Project" Questions and Answers

Overview: The Caddo Parish Commission will consider ordinance #6548 to appropriate $10 million to build a 19-court pickleball facility in partnership with the YMCA. The pickleball facility will be a tournament-level facility behind the Lash Family YMCA at 9440 Ellerbe Road.

Caddo Parish has received numerous questions regarding this project. The following are answers to the questions the Parish has received.

1. Who will own the facility that the Parish will build?

Caddo Parish will own the facility and enter into a long-term lease agreement with the YMCA to lease the land. Parks and Recreation has previously leased land to build park facilities.

2. Who will own the land beneath the facility?

YMCA, see response to #1.

3. Who will set the "usage fee" associated with the facility (i.e, Dollars/hour, dollars/game, etc.)

The Caddo Parish Commission will adopt fees as recommended by the Caddo Parish Administration.

4. What will the "usage fee" for a court be?

Usage fees are expected to be from $10 to $12 per player, per hour, depending on needs.

5. What will be the monthly operating costs of the facility?

Total costs, including financing costs, are estimated to be $818,000 annually or $68,166 monthly.

6. Will the daily usage fees cover the monthly operating costs, including insurance costs?

Total estimated revenues, which include usage fees, tournament fees, sponsorships, and pro shop sales, are projected to fully cover estimated expenses, including insurance.

7. Will the daily usage fees cover the monthly operating costs AND the Parish Financing Costs?

Estimated revenues will cover operating costs and financing costs.

8. Will there be an additional parking lot for the pickleball facility? If so, where will this parking lot be located?

Parking is included in the overall design of the pickleball facility (500 new parking spaces will be constructed. Additional public parking will be allowed at the existing Lash YMCA parking lot.

9. How will the future opening of the Louisiana Boardwalk pickleball facility (Pickle Type Franchise) affect the Caddo Parish Pickleball Park Project?

Pickleball has become a movement that has exploded locally, throughout the United States, and globally. We are not surprised that the private sector and/or other municipalities around the Ark-La-Tex have announced pickleball development projects over the next 1-3 years. This demonstrates the growth of the sport and the need for tournament facilities such as the one proposed by Caddo Parish. These facilities will be a source for players and teams for the Caddo Parish facility.

The Parks Director has held several conversations with the owner of this potential new facility.

The owner supports the Parish’s proposed project, and once constructed-would like to partner with Caddo Parish/YMCA and the Shreveport-Bossier Sports Commission in bidding on state/regional and lower-end national pickleball tournaments. This facility will be a great overflow facility for our larger state/regional and possibly lower-level “national tournaments.”

To submit a bid to pickleball tournament rights holders with 19 dedicated courts and possibly 12 additional overflow courts (potential of 31 courts in Shreveport-Bossier area) will surely be a game changer, while separating Caddo Parish as the leading pickleball community from other municipalities in the state and southern region.

10. Major national/regional commitments from the pickleball industry, since Caddo Parish Pickleball Park ordinance was introduced.

Since the introduction of the ordinance for the Caddo Parish Pickleball Project, several national/regional and professional pickleball league organizations have reached out to our parks director, endorsing this project and/or verbally committing to the following:

• Major League Pickleball (MLP)- MLP Commissioner, Samin Odhwani and staff have verbally committed to bringing their “MLP Pickleball Challenger Level” event to Shreveport, starting in late 2027. This event hosts 600-1000 professional pickleball players throughout the USA (see attached communications). Also, there may be some local area investors interested in starting a professional MLP team in Shreveport. This is Huge!

• Southern Pickleball Association (SPA)- Co-Founder, Paul Midkiff has also endorsed the Caddo Pickleball Park Project with excitement in bringing another possible southern region tournament site to Louisiana. This regional pickleball association has also committed to assisting Caddo Parish/YMCA and the Shreveport-Bossier Sports Commission in the bidding/hosting of state/regional and lower national tournaments.

11. How does Caddo Parish Parks and Recreation plan to use pickleball to engage the inner city and/or the underserved community in Caddo Parish?

Caddo Parish Parks and Recreation, along with USA Pickleball, YMCA of NWLA and Caddo Parish Schools have collectively committed to inclusion initiatives for inner city and/or underserved communities of Caddo Parish by providing youth development programs and welcoming spaces to learn, play, and connect through pickleball.

The following initiatives include:

- Grassroots Development of Pickleball in Underserved Communities – Exposing the game of pickleball to our inner city and/or underserved communities is a priority to the Caddo Parish Parks and Recreation Department, stakeholders, partners, and the Caddo Parish pickleball community. Special programs will be developed to help address social determinants of health and well-being. Underserved populations can face barriers to accessing regular exercise opportunities, and readily available pickleball courts can help address this.

- Special Pay Rates for Caddo School Pickleball Teams/Leagues and Clubs – Caddo Parish and Caddo Parish Schools will negotiate fee rates for all approved Caddo Parish students participating in approved pickleball teams/leagues or clubs. Similar to what SPAR does at City of Shreveport's owned tennis and golf facilities.

- USA Pickleball – USA Pickleball, the National Governing Body for the sport of pickleball has committed to working with Caddo Parish Parks and Recreation Department to provide grant funding of essential pickleball equipment (paddles, balls, portable nets, uniforms training equipment, etc.) for Caddo Parish middle and high school leagues/clubs and inner city and underserved populations through its Grow the Game Grant Program.

- YMCA of Northwest Louisiana and the Shreveport-Bossier USA Pickleball Ambassadors.

- YMCA of Northwest Louisiana and the Shreveport-Bossier USA Ambassadors- Will provide year-round pop-up clinics in Caddo Parish elementary, middle, and high schools, including Caddo Parish inner city/rural and underserved communities.

SporTran is committed to keeping bus routes along the East Flournoy Lucas Road route and fares free and/or affordable for all youth, adults, and families parish-wide.

12. What will be the funding source of the $10 million cost?

The Parish will issue revenue bonds for the $10 million construction costs.

13. What will the source for repayment of the $10 million cost?

Principal and interest for the bonds will be paid from the revenues generated by the pickleball facility (usage fees, tournament fees, pro shop sales).

14. If the project costs exceed $10 million, what will be the funding source of any excess cost?

The proposed costs are not anticipated to exceed $10 million. The proposed project will be placed for public bid or the Construction Management At Risk (CMAR) program, where the projected costs will be known before construction.

15. When will payments start to repay the $10 million and any additional overrun costs?

Bond payments will begin in 2027.

16. If the repayment source is insufficient, what will then be the payment source of Parish funds?

Anticipated revenues are estimated to fund all costs, including bond payments. If enough funds are not generated, the Parks and Recreation Fund will cover the costs.

17. When is construction realistically anticipated to begin and to be completed?

If the project is approved in 2025, construction is anticipated to begin in 2026 and is expected to be completed in late summer 2027.

18. What is the current construction plan for this $10 million facility--number of courts, number of covered courts, seating at the main court, restroom/convenience facilities, club house, parking lot(s) etc. AND is the estimated $10 million sufficient with the cost of inflation, tariffs, etc.?

The facility will have nineteen lit pickleball courts (USA Pickleball regulation standards/post tension concrete), eight with shade structures. There will be a championship-style court with seating for 1,000 persons. The facility will also include a 6,000 sf clubhouse with seating for up to 50 persons on each side. Limited seating will be provided at the other courts along with picnic areas with two pavilion spaces.

19. The land tract for this facility is currently owned by the YMCA--will this tract be donated to the Parish for the pickleball complex site? If not, will there be a reservation of ownership of the facility and improvements by the Parish since construction on land belongs to the landowner without such documentation?

Caddo Parish, through an agreement with the YMCA, will own the pickleball facility and improvements. The YMCA will own the land with a long-term lease agreement with the Parish.

20. What will be the access point(s) to the proposed facility, and will the Parish be responsible for any street and/or parking lot paving, etc.?

Final layout plans will be developed once the project is approved. The parking lot is included in the costs, as well as ingress and egress

21. If the YMCA is to manage the complex, what duties will the YMCA have, and what will be the fee for these services?

The YMCA will manage all aspects of the facility. The YMCA’s fee will cover the cost of the personnel needed to manage the facility. Caddo Parish and the YMCA will enter into a management agreement.

22. Who will be responsible for the maintenance of the facility, both routine and extraordinary, and if the Parish, what will be the source of these funds?

Caddo Parish will be responsible for the maintenance. Maintenance costs will be paid by the revenues generated.

23. Who will be responsible for the payment of insurance and utilities for the facility, and if the Parish, what will be the source of these funds?

Caddo Parish will be responsible for the insurance. Caddo Parish maintains a separate General Insurance Fund that pays annual liability premiums. Each Parish facility is allocated a portion of the total premium. The revenues generated by the facility pay this allocation.

24. Use of the YMCA facilities requires a membership. Will be a membership be required to use the pickleball complex or will YMCA membership reduce the fee to use the courts?

A YMCA membership will not be required to use the facility. It would by up to the YMCA to determine if they would like to adjust its membership fees for pickleball and work out a funding arrangement with the Parish.

25. What is the estimated fee to use a pickleball court for one hour and how does that compare to the fees for other municipal pickleball courts requiring fee payment?

The usage fee will be $10 to $12 per hour, and this is comparable to other municipal facilities.

26. Will the Parish and the YMCA enter into a contract for management of the proposed facility BEFORE construction commences AND will the Commission approval of the contract be required?

Yes, the Parish and the YMCA will determine the management agreement before construction. The agreement will be provided to the Caddo Parish Commission.

27. To maintain a top-class facility, how often will the pickleball court/nets need to be replaced, what will be the costs, who will be responsible for these costs and if the Parish, what will be the source of payment?

Caddo Parish will follow the recommended schedule for updating the equipment and facilities. Costs will be paid by the revenues generated and Parks and Recreation funds. Caddo Parish maintains a five-year capital plan to update its various facilities, and this facility will be included in that plan.

28. Will the facility be fenced to provide security and to ensure no "free play" on the courts, and if so, is this cost included in the $10 million?

Proper security will be included in the construction.

29. What YMCA staff person(s) will be responsible for management of the pickleball facility, and does that include management of any onsite shop selling pickleball gear, concessions, etc.?

The YMCA will determine the staff that will be assigned to the pickleball facility which includes the Pro Shop and concessions.