You’ve been waiting — here’s when the world’s largest pickleball courts open in Macon
Macon’s much-anticipated new pickleball courts will officially open on New Year’s Day to much fanfare, according to organizers and Bibb County officials.
The 32-court “pickleball palace,” as some have dubbed it, is officially named “Rhythm and Rally” and will be the world’s largest pickleball facility when it opens Jan. 1, the county said in an announcement.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony begins at 9:30 a.m., and players can hit the court at any time between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m. for $5. There will also be several programs including beginner’s practices, skill drills and more along with food trucks and a mini-tournament. All scheduled activities last until 1:30 p.m.
“There is such an overwhelming buzz from people ready to learn how to play here or show off their skills,” Mayor Lester Miller said in a news release. “This — along with the amphitheater, offices and future retail — are leading a new revitalization of this area of our community.”
Once the grand opening is all said and done, the courts will be open on a membership basis. Memberships to play start at $25 a month for people 17 and younger. The cost is $40 for those 18 and up, and go all the way to a $100 “Family Platinum” plan.
If you just want to play for a day, though, admission for non-members will still be $5 for half a day of play.
Rhythm and Rally is another step for Macon’s attempt to revitalize the old Macon Mall, where the courts are housed, after Bibb County opened courtrooms there and began the construction of a new 10,000 plus-seat amphitheater next door.
The projects are not only an attempt to improve not just that part of the community but tourism as well, Visit Macon president and CEO Gary Wheat told the Telegraph earlier this year.
“You create a place people want to visit (and) you create a place where people want to work, live and move,” Wheat said.
The effort has already worked at least once, when more than 650 pickleballers visited Bibb County for a tournament at the then-unopened Rhythm and Rally facility.
“We have a strong pickleball community here in Macon, one that is welcoming of all people,” Miller said. “It’s been amazing to see the level of interest in our new facility, especially the number of people that traveled here from around the country for the recent Candy Cane Classic tournament.”
The Macon Mall and Rhythm and Rally are located at 3661 Eisenhower Parkway in west Macon.