Tucson Opening 1st Pickleball Facility at Morris K. Udall Park

A sea of forest green and blue-colored asphalt pickleball courts that have been in the works for three years are finally opening to the public on March 22.

A total of 12 courts will open that day at Morris K. Udall Park (7200 E. Tanque Verde Road), giving Tucson its first dedicated pickleball facility at a city-owned facility.

The project was funded through 2018's Prop. 407, or Tucson Delivers + Connections, which was a $225 million bond package that included a range of park improvements and other items.

The dozen new courts are a thing of beauty to pickleball enthusiasts, like Cindy Lutz, who is the president Tucson Area Pickleball and USA Tucson Pickleball Ambassador.

"Pickleball is one of the fastest-growing sports across the country and the City amenities did not offer any outdoor courts for the sport prior to the Udall courts," Lutz said. "We have been approached by pickleball players for years to resurface courts to offer more opportunities to play outside of the hours we offer for indoor pickleball."

The courts will open to the public with a ribbon-cutting ceremony that'll feature the likes of Ward 2 council member Paul Cunningham and other local figures at 3:30 p.m. on March 22.

Lutz will be among those in attendance, with the longtime pickleball player and ambassador sharing her belief that the new facility could be a game-changer for the Tucson region.

"The Udall courts will offer more opportunities for the community to play without having to drive to locations outside of city limits," Lutz said. "It will offer a greater awareness of the sport for those who have not heard of it.

"It also offers an amenity that many might be looking for when moving to Tucson."