The IAPPF International Conference and Expo Orlando November 17-19, 2026 REGISTER NOW →
Member Center
Join Now
NEW PROGRAM – THE FACILITIES IN DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE – NOW ENROLLING

Pickleball & Padel Facility DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM

An IAPPF FID Institute Program for founders, investors, developers, and operators planning to open or expand a pickleball or padel facility.
Join the IAPPF Facility In Development Institute
See what's included

Member Facilities Worldwide

$499/yr

Free expert consults

8

Free conference pass

1

Free meetup pass

1

Opening a pickleball or padel facility is a major investment. The IAPPF Facilities in Development Program gives future operators expert guidance, practical resources, industry intelligence, and peer access to help them move from idea to opening day with fewer costly mistakes.

Enroll in FID — $499/year

Enroll today.

$ 499 / year

includes:

  • 8 free 30-minute expert consultations
  • 1 free annual conference registration
  • 1 free regional meetup registration
  • Facility startup guides
  • Research library
  • Facility Magazine access
  • Business of Pickleball newsletter
  • Legal forms and business resources
  • Peer networking with facility owners and operators
Enroll in FID — $499/year
Request FID Program Information

Avoid Costly Mistakes Before You Open

Enroll in FID — $499/year

i.

Site selection and feasibility

ii.

Facility layout and build-out planning

iii.

Financing and startup economics

iv.

Insurance and legal considerations

v.

Technology, software, and operating systems

vi.

Programming and member acquisition

vii.

Staffing and launch planning

viii.

Vendor and supplier decisions

It's been invaluable to share information and get insights from these people. They've all gone through it in their own time — we're learning an incredible amount.

Mark Beach
Co-Founder · Aloha Pickleball · Maui, HI

01 / Who

What members get

Operate like the best in the industry — THAT’S WHO’S THERE TO SUPPORT YOUR JOURNEY

i.

Owners considering opening

You’re researching the business model, exploring the financials, scouting locations, or weighing whether to actually move forward. You need the data, frameworks, and frank conversations that turn a good idea into a sound decision.

ii.

Facilities in progress but not yet open

You’re under construction, finalizing build-out, hiring your first staff, designing your programming, signing supplier contracts, or counting down to grand opening. You need expert guidance at every consequential decision — and you need it now.

02 / Curriculum

What’s included

Everything you need to open right.

A — RESOURCES & DATA

The full IAPPF research library, plus FID-exclusive starting guides.

Exclusive to FID

Starting Guides

Guide to Starting a Facility and Financing a New Facility Guide. Step-by-step playbooks distilled from hundreds of operator conversations. Site selection, lease negotiation, financing structures, build-out budgets, opening-day checklists — the things every operator wishes they’d known on day one.

Weekly

IAPPF Weekly Newsletter

News and events from the IAPPF and the industry.
Monthly

Facility Magazine

The voice of the pickleball and padel industries. Members read it first, and read it free.
Monthly · $799 value

Business of Pickleball Newsletter

Monthly market intelligence about the pickleball industry as a whole. Standard corporate subscription is $799/year.
Annual · $499 value

State of the Facility Industry Report

In partnership with CourtReserve. Exclusive, detailed look into facility metrics.
Annual · $299 value

Global Pickleball Report

In partnership with PlayByPoint. Exclusive look at pickleball’s global presence.
Annual

Industry Surveys & Special Reports

Annual Industry, Compensation, and F&B surveys. Plus deep-dive reports on membership models, P&L benchmarks, and more.
Twice monthly · $499 value

Facility Buy/Sell & Valuation Report

Listings of facilities for sale, plus the IAPPF Facility Valuation Index.
Ongoing

Services Center

Find marketing, programming, web design, and other services focused on facility needs.
$198 value

Legal Documents Library

Free Media Release, Social Media Disclaimer, and other partner legal resources via Conscious Counsel.
Ongoing

IAPPF Investment Center

Resources for connecting with capital partners and structuring facility financing.
03 / Ask an Expert
Free consultations

Eight free 30-minute consultations.

Every FID member receives access to eight free 30-minute consultations with vetted industry experts. Bring your specific questions to the people who’ve already solved them — across the eight disciplines that determine whether your facility opens on time, on budget, and ready to operate.

i.

Architecture & Permitting

Site planning, code compliance, building permits, accessibility, and the regulatory path from blueprint to opening.
30 min · Free

ii.

Legal Counsel

Entity structure, lease negotiation, waivers, membership agreements, and the legal foundations of a facility business.
30 min · Free

iii.

Liability & Property Insurance

What coverage you actually need, how to price it, what the gotchas are, and how to negotiate with carriers.
30 min · Free

iv.

Employee Issues & Healthcare Benefits

Hiring, W-2 vs 1099, healthcare benefits, payroll, and the people-operations decisions that compound for years.
30 min · Free

v.

Court Construction

Surface specifications, sub-base requirements, drainage, indoor vs outdoor, padel cage construction, and contractor selection.
30 min · Free

vi.

Lighting

Foot-candle requirements, fixture selection, glare control, energy efficiency, and the difference between hobbyist and tournament-grade.
30 min · Free

vii.

Club Management Software

Court reservation systems, member management, payment processing, and the technology stack that determines your operational efficiency.
30 min · Free

viii.

General Q&A — IAPPF Staff

Anything not covered above. IAPPF staff and member network can be your sounding board for any operational question.
30 min · Free
03 / Ask an Expert
From idea to opening

Your path from idea to opening day.

STEP 01
Validate the opportunity

Market research, demand modeling, competitive landscape, and the data that tells you whether your market can actually support a facility.

STEP 02
Build the business case

Pro forma financials, capital requirements, financing structure, ROI projections, investor materials, and the model your bank or backer will accept.

STEP 03
Design & permit

Site selection, architecture, court construction specs, lighting, build-out budget, permitting timeline, and the contractors who know what they're doing.

STEP 04
Operating systems

Software stack, insurance, legal docs, employee structure, programming model, pricing, membership tiers. Everything operational before opening day.

STEP 05
Grand opening + transition

Pre-opening marketing, founding member campaigns, opening week playbook. Then transition from FID member to full Facility member, with continued IAPPF support.

05 / Community
Events & networking

Network before you open.

i.

Annual Conference & Expo

1 FREE registration included. Two days at the largest gathering of pickleball and padel facility leadership. Operators, suppliers, investors, attorneys, and architects in one room. The single highest-density opportunity to talk to people who’ve done what you’re about to do.

ii.

Regional Meetups

1 FREE registration included. Full-day regional gatherings of education and networking. Meet operators, suppliers, and insiders in your geography. FID members attend for free.

iii.

City Meetups

Informal evening meetings with IAPPF staff. Small-group, low-pressure, high-signal conversations with the people running the association and the operators in your city.

iv.

Investor summit

Investor Summit at the annual conference connects you with capital partners actively funding new facilities. Happy Hour Webinars give frequent, focused virtual gatherings on specific topics.

Enroll today.

One annual investment. Every piece of the curriculum, every expert consultation, every event, every benefit listed above — included.

The Institute is for pickleball and padel facility owners who refuse to figure out the most consequential decision of their career alone. If that’s you, this is built for you.

Exclusive to FID

The Institute. All of it.

$ 499 / year
  • Complete FID curriculum & starting guides
  • 8 free 30-min expert consultations
  • 1 free Annual Conference registration
  • FREE Regional Meetup registration
  • Full IAPPF research library
  • Business of Pickleball newsletter
  • State of the Facility Industry Report
  • Group insurance, 401K & buying programs
  • Legal Forms Package access
  • Unlimited employee members
  • Travel Center & Global Advocacy
Enroll in FID — $499/year

Frequently Asked Questions

The Facilities in Development Program is open to anyone involved in the development of a new pickleball or padel facility. This includes entrepreneurs, future facility owners, investors, developers, real estate professionals, existing operators planning an expansion, and teams preparing to finance, design, build, staff, program, or launch a new facility.
No. The program is specifically designed for people and organizations in the development stage. You do not need to already own or operate a facility to join. If you are exploring, planning, financing, building, or preparing to open a pickleball or padel facility, the program was built for you.
Yes. The Facilities in Development Program supports both pickleball and padel facility projects. Whether you are developing a dedicated pickleball facility, a padel club, a hybrid racquet sports facility, or adding courts to an existing operation, the program provides resources, guidance, and industry connections relevant to your project.
The $499 annual membership includes access to IAPPF resources designed to help future facility owners and developers make smarter decisions before opening. Benefits include eight free 30-minute expert consultations, one free annual conference registration, one free regional meetup registration, facility startup guides, research resources, Facility Magazine access, the Business of Pickleball newsletter, legal forms and business resources, supplier and service provider access, and peer networking with facility owners and operators.
As part of the program, members receive eight free 30-minute expert consultations. The IAPPF will connect you directly with the appropriate subject matter expert for your personalized consult based on your project needs. Consultation topics may include planning, financing, construction, insurance, legal issues, technology, programming, operations, marketing, member acquisition, or other key areas involved in developing and launching a facility.
Yes. Investors, developers, and real estate professionals are welcome to join. The program is open to anyone involved in the development of new pickleball or padel facilities, including those evaluating opportunities, assembling project teams, identifying locations, assessing feasibility, or supporting facility development from a business, investment, real estate, or operational perspective.

Build it. Then Crush It.

One annual investment. Every piece of the curriculum, every expert consultation, every event, every benefit listed above — included.

Enroll in FID — $499/year