Fort Myers-based construction company turns focus to pickleball

The next handful of Pickleball Club LLC courts will have more in common than a general layout. They’re all being constructed by Stevens Construction Inc. 

Mark Stevens, the company’s president, announced the Fort Myers-based company will take over the construction management services for several locations in Bonita Springs, The Villages, Fort Myers, Venice and Port St. Lucie. Construction on the Port St. Lucie location is expected to begin this quarter. 

Pickleball Club locations feature a two-story complex with 12 indoor pickleball courts, café, pro shop, locker rooms and lounge. The second story is home to a bar, lounge and court viewing area, as well as offices, conference rooms and storage. The club also has two outdoor pickleball and two bocce ball courts covered by canopy shades. 

The first location in Lakewood Ranch is currently under construction and is expected to wrap up sometime this year. 

“The easy part is building the buildings,” Brian McCarthy, the club owner, said in a previous interview with the Business Observer. “The hard part is building the teams.” 

Each location will require a team of 12-15 full time employees and a handful of part time positions.

The club was originally founded in 2021 by McCarthy, his wife Valerie and their business partner Matthew Gordon. The facilities are available through a membership. The Pickleball Club has an ambitious goal to open 15 clubs across the state in five years.