How to Convert Your Minnesota Gym or Rec Center Into a Pickleball Powerhouse
Minnesota is currently witnessing a pickleball explosion, with participation growing by over 300% in the last few years. For gym owners and community rec centers, this isn’t just a trend–it’s a massive business opportunity. Converting underused basketball courts or multi-purpose rooms into dedicated pickleball hubs can boost memberships by 2-3x almost overnight.
However, a professional conversion requires more than just tape on the floor. In the Twin Cities, recreational and athletic club owners face unique challenges: uneven overlays, moisture-wicking drainage issues, and the dreaded “freeze-thaw” cycle that can crack traditional rigid surfaces.
C&C Courts can help! Our expert design and construction crews in Minnesota can help you upgrade your recreational facility with new pickleball courts that will survive the brutal Minnesota winters.
Maximizing Your Square Footage
The first step to converting your space into a pickleball court is to schedule a custom site evaluation. While a standard pickleball court is 20 x 44 feet, you need to account for overruns (out of bounds areas) for safety and high-level play. A single recreational court typically requires 30 x 60 feet of area.
C&C Courts can look at your existing gym dimensions to see how many courts we can fit into the space. For example, a standard high school-sized basketball gym can often fit 3 to 4 pickleball courts, significantly increasing your revenue per square foot.
Suspended Tiles & Multi-Sport Flexibility
Traditional hard courts are brutal on your joints. C&C Courts’ suspended modular tiles for pickleball courts are the secret weapon for Minnesota rec centers. Our patented “Lateral Forgiveness” technology reduces joint strain and fatigue, allowing your members to play longer and stay healthier. The pickleball tiles that we use also come in a bunch of different colors, so you can customize your court's look.
If you’re worried about losing your volleyball or basketball capacity, you don’t need to! We specialize in high-contract multi-lining, allowing your pickleball courts to remain a true multi-sport space with the addition of multi-use sports court nets.
The Installation Process
One of the biggest hurdles for commercial facilities is the inability to use the space during construction. You may be imagining weeks of downtime where the gym is closed, leading to lost revenue.
But C&C Courts has been building sports courts for over 30 years, and we have the process down to an art. Most of our conversions take about 3 to 7 day–much shorter than the weeks that you are imagining. Because our tiles are modular and interlocking, there is no smelly adhesive, no sanding dust, and no curing time (as for concrete). Your courts will be ready to use immediately after installation!
Our pickleball flooring tiles are engineered to handle Minnesota’s climate. For outdoor-adjacent areas or hockey rink overlays, the open-grid design allows water to drain instantly, preventing puddles and keeping the surface slip-resistant. You will also avoid having common problems associated with concrete, such as buckling, cracking, and heaving (particularly due to the freeze-thaw cycle).
The ROI Behind the Game
So, is the investment worth it to convert unused space into pickleball courts? Let’s look at the costs that you can expect vs what you can get out of the new courts.
The initial investment for pickleball court conversions ranges depending on the number of courts and custom features.
As for the ROI, in the current market, indoor court rentals in the Twin Cities go for $25-$45 per court/hour. If you run four courts at just 50% capacity during business hours, you can generate over $100,000 in annual rental revenue. You can also plan pickleball tournaments for additional revenue opportunities.
Not only will you gain monetary ROI on your new pickleball courts, but you will also see increased customer satisfaction. With accommodating spaces that are family-friendly, your members will love bringing their kids to play. Even our previous customers rave about our work, saying that having access to a sports court “has been truly a dream come true for me and my family, and I will forever be appreciative of the work they did!”
Earn More Revenue with C&C Courts Custom Pickleball Courts
Don’t leave money lying on the gym floor. Contact C&C Courts today to take advantage of our 35+ years of experience in sports court design and construction. Your members will love your new courts and your bottom line will grow.
Even if pickleball is not your thing, we have plenty of commercial sports courts we can install. Turn unused or underutilized space in a money-making machine!
Reach out to us today at 952-746-4545 or request a free quote online!
