I flew over the new Premier Athletics & Aquatics Center at Premier Sports Campus North in Lakewood Ranch today. The pickleball hitting wall is standing, and the cement floor has just been poured.
This is a Manatee County public facility at 16350 Rangeland Parkway, next to the Lakewood Ranch Library. An opening date has not been confirmed. It may open at the end of December or the beginning of next year. County officials have been targeting December 2026. Stay tuned, and I'll share the official date as soon as the county announces it.
If you own a home nearby, this is a useful update: a large public place to play pickleball, swim and walk is taking shape just down the road.
What's Taking Shape at Premier Sports Campus North
Manatee County's official name for the project is the Athletics and Aquatics Center at Premier Sports Campus North. The sign on the building reads Premier Athletics & Aquatics Center. The county will run it through Sports and Leisure Services.
According to the county's facility page, the center includes:
An approximately 44,000-square-foot athletics and aquatics building
24 pickleball courts, 14 of them covered. The covered courts are lighted and have fans. The 10 outdoor courts are lighted as well.
A standalone shaded pickleball hitting wall
A geothermal Olympic-size Myrtha stretch competition pool (52 meters with a 2-meter bulkhead) and a 25-yard geothermal therapy and warm-up pool. Both have accessibility lifts, and the therapy pool also has an ADA ramp.
A walking trail
About 241 parking spaces
Community rooms (two rooms that can open into one), a kitchen, locker rooms, a pro shop and a trainer room
The county approved the project at $44.2 million (Manatee County news, December 2024). It is designed for everyday public recreation and for larger tournaments.
Premier Sports Campus North sits next to the original field campus, now called Premier Sports Campus South, which has hosted soccer and other events since 2011. They are related county campuses, not the same building.
Photo by Luis Odon, November 11, 2026.
Why the New Hitting Wall Matters
A hitting wall is a simple feature that makes the courts more useful day to day. You can practice on your own, with no partner needed. You can warm up before a game, work on dinks, volleys and serves, help a beginner get comfortable, or get a workout in when the courts are full. Drill work can happen off the game courts, which leaves more room for open play.
That is one reason this addition will help the pickleball community here. The 24 courts, including the 14 under shade, give people a place to play in the Florida sun, and the wall gives people a place to practice without holding a court.
Neighborhoods Just Around the Campus
The address is 16350 Rangeland Parkway, Lakewood Ranch, FL 34211, next to the Lakewood Ranch Library. The official Lakewood Ranch community map places Premier Campus among the neighborhoods along Rangeland Parkway and Uihlein Road.
Owners in Lorraine Lakes, Cresswind, Solera, Sweetwater and Sapphire Point are a short trip away. Those neighborhoods sit on that same corridor, within about a mile of the campus. Esplanade at Azario, Lakewood National and Star Farms are a short drive away in the same part of east Lakewood Ranch.
For a wider look at the area, see my Lakewood Ranch community guide.
Photo by Luis Odon, November 11, 2026.
Opening Date, Hours and Fees
An opening date is not confirmed. It may be at the end of December or the beginning of next year. On October 12, 2026, the Lakewood Ranch Beacon reported that county officials are targeting a late December opening, and quoted Sports and Leisure director Molly White as "aiming for the end of December." The county's own facility page is still marked "Under Construction" and "Coming Soon."
I will share the date as soon as it is official. Stay tuned.
Hours and exact fees have not been posted on the county's facility page. The county does say that membership and daily-use fees will be available, and that memberships at G.T. Bray and John H. Marble will be reciprocal at this location. Confirm hours, fees and programs when the county announces the opening. The county's contact number on the facility page is (941) 742-5923.
The Beacon also noted other work underway on the same campus, including a second floor at the Lakewood Ranch Library. Those details, like the center's opening day, should be confirmed with the county.
What This Can Mean If You Own Nearby
A public center like this — covered pickleball courts, a practice wall, two pools and a walking trail — is the kind of amenity buyers often look for when they compare neighborhoods. It gives people who already live here another place to play and gather, and it gives people who are shopping in east Lakewood Ranch one more reason to look closely at homes nearby.
That is a general point about how buyers shop, not a prediction about prices. I am not saying this will raise the value of any specific home. Sale prices depend on the house, the market, the condition, the timing and many other factors.
If you are wondering what your home is worth in today's market, or you are thinking about selling or buying nearby, I am happy to walk through it with you. You can start with a free home-value estimate, or contact me and we'll talk.
FAQ
When does the Premier Athletics & Aquatics Center open? An opening date has not been confirmed. It may open at the end of December or the beginning of next year. County officials have been targeting December 2026. Stay tuned for the official date.
Is this a public facility? Yes. Manatee County owns it and will run it through Sports and Leisure Services. It is designed for everyday public use and for larger events.
What will it cost, and what are the hours? The county has said membership and daily-use fees will be available, and that memberships at G.T. Bray and John H. Marble will work here too. Exact hours and fee amounts have not been published on the county's facility page. Those details should be confirmed when an opening date is announced.
Which neighborhoods are closest? The center is next to the Lakewood Ranch Library on Rangeland Parkway. Lorraine Lakes, Cresswind, Solera, Sweetwater and Sapphire Point are along this same corridor, within about a mile. Esplanade at Azario, Lakewood National and Star Farms are a short drive away. See my Lakewood Ranch guide for neighborhood overviews.
Will this increase my home's value? Public amenities like courts, pools and trails are something buyers often look for, but I cannot promise a price change for any home. If you want a current read on your property, use the home value page or call me.
Sources
Wondering What Your Home Is Worth?
I'm Luis Odon, a REALTOR® with Keller Williams Coastal Living II. I help owners and buyers in Lakewood Ranch, Bradenton, Sarasota, Parrish and Palmetto. Se habla español.
Call or text (941) 993-8311, email LuisfjosRealtor@gmail.com, or book a call at https://calendly.com/luisodonrealtor. You can also get a free home-value estimate, browse Search Homes, or contact me.
This article is general information only, not an appraisal or a promise about property values. Opening dates, hours, fees and programs can change. Confirm current details with Manatee County Sports and Leisure Services. Drone photos were taken on November 11, 2026. Equal Housing Opportunity.
