By Shannon Lukens. Cover photo courtesy Barbara Robinson.
Courtesy photos
The Steamboat Tennis and Pickleball Complex has been named one of 45 winners across the United States in the U.S. Tennis Association’s annual Outstanding Facility Awards. It was announced Tuesday at the 2025 US Open in New York City.
Tennis bubble photos courtesy Barbara Robinson.
The remodel of the tennis bubble in Steamboat Springs continues with a new exterior skin, installation and lighting. It should be finished in October or early November. This is the first time the tennis bubble has undergone a renovation since it opened in 1991.
Also, this weekend is the Steamboat Open Pickleball Tournament with nearly 200 players competing across multiple divisions and age groups from across the state. This tournament is a Professional Pickleball Association national qualifier. (Press release is below.)
Press Release from the Steamboat Tennis and Pickleball Complex; Aug.27, 2025.
2025 USTA Outstanding Facility Award Winner!
The USTA today announced that the Steamboat Tennis and Pickleball Complex in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, is one of 45 winners in the USTA’s annual Outstanding Facility Awards program, which recognizes excellence in the construction and/or renovation of tennis facilities throughout the country.
All 45 recipients were honored at an awards reception held August 26 at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York as part of the 2025 US Open.
“Outstanding tennis facilities like the Steamboat Tennis and Pickleball Complex help us to grow the game at the grassroots level, and we are proud to recognize them for their ongoing impact on the sport of tennis,” said Theodore Loehrke, Managing Director, Section Partnerships, USTA. “The great work of the Steamboat Tennis and Pickleball Complex continues to support our shared mission of growing tennis to inspire healthier people and communities everywhere.”
Facilities were judged on the following criteria: overall layout and adaptation to site; excellence of court surface and lights; ease of maintenance; accommodations for players, spectators and press/officials; aesthetics; amenities such as seating for spectators, food services and social areas; and the facilities’ participation in grassroots tennis programs.
Nominated facilities were voted on in the following categories: Public Courts that are either small tennis centers with 2-11 courts or large tennis centers with 12 or more courts; Private Facilities that offer both USTA and public programming designed to help grow tennis; and Educational Institutions such as colleges, universities, and public and private schools.
Currently, the Steamboat Tennis and Pickleball Complex, constructed in 1991, is undergoing a major renovation, including replacing the exterior skin of the facility, updating insulation, and installing new lighting, for which the nonprofit has been fundraising for via its Courting Love campaign since 2023.
Phase II of the renovation, which will include remodeling of interior spaces and resurfacing courts, will begin after Phase I and continued fundraising efforts. Outdoor and limited indoor courts are open for play during construction.
The 2025 USTA Outstanding Facility Award winners are:
Public Courts: Large Tennis Centers (12 or more courts)
- Balboa Tennis Club (San Diego)
- City of Palm Beach Gardens Tennis and Pickleball Center (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.)
- Rome Tennis Center at Berry College (Rome, Ga.)
- Sportime Randall’s Island (New York)
- Steamboat Tennis and Pickleball Center (Steamboat Springs, Colo.)
- Yarbrough Tennis Center (Auburn, Ala.)
Tennis Center Renovation Underway
Currently, the Steamboat Tennis and Pickleball Complex, constructed in 1991, is undergoing a major renovation, including replacing the exterior skin of the facility, updating insulation, and installing new lighting, for which the nonprofit has been fundraising for via its Courting Love campaign since 2023.
Phase II of the renovation, which will include remodeling of interior spaces and resurfacing courts, will begin after Phase I and continued fundraising efforts. Outdoor and limited indoor courts are open for play during construction.
Pickleball Press Release
Steamboat Open! Pickleball Center welcomes National Qualifier Tournament Labor Day Weekend
Registration open now
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Steamboat Springs, Colorado (August 15, 2025) The Carvana PPA Tour is pleased to present the Steamboat Open, part of the Amateur Pickleball State Championship Series hosted at the Steamboat Tennis and Pickleball Complex over Labor Day Weekend, August 30 – September 1.
The Steamboat Open is open to the public and will identify the top amateur pickleball players in the region, with one hundred percent of tournament registration fees benefitting Stop Alzheimer’s Now (SAN), an organization focused on eradicating Alzheimer’s disease by funding cutting-edge research aimed at finding a cure.
“To host a national qualifying tournament of this caliber at our nonprofit Pickleball facility is an honor of the highest caliber,” said Jayson Harris, Director of Pickleball, Steamboat Tennis & Pickleball Complex. “We are thrilled to welcome players from across the state here to Steamboat and enjoy a competitive Pickleball tournament while supporting a great cause.”
Throughout the weekend, Skill Contests on the SAN courts will take place, with prize offerings for top players. There will also be a silent auction where 100% of proceeds will benefit SAN.
Participating in the Amateur Pickleball State Championship Series, powered by the Carvana PPA Tour, offers players a unique and thrilling opportunity to showcase their skills on a bigger stage, contributing to the vibrant and growing pickleball community.
The series, spanning all 50 states, provides an inclusive platform for players of varying ages and skill levels to engage in spirited competition while fostering camaraderie among enthusiasts across the nation.
The prospect of earning a coveted spot in the year-end World Championships in Dallas, TX adds an extra layer of excitement and motivation. The Champions Division brings together the best players from across the world, offering a grand stage for the ultimate showdown and the quest for pickleball supremacy.
The winners across each skill level and age group will earn the title of Carvana PPA Tour State Champion. Skill Levels: 3.0, 3.5, 4.0, 4.5, 5.0. Age Groups: 18U, 19+, 35+, 50+, 60+, 70+. Playing Divisions: MS, WS, MD, WD, MXD.
State Champions (Gold Medalists) receive free registration into the PPA World Championships and will compete in the exclusive Champions Division brackets to determine the best amateurs in the country. Second place finishers (Silver Medalists) will receive a 50% off their registration fee, and third place finishers (Bronze Medalists) will receive 33% off.
To register for the Carvana PPA Tour Steamboat Open, visit PickleballTournaments.com.
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Steamboat Tennis and Pickleball Complex
With a mission to enrich the lives of Steamboat Springs area residents and visitors of all ages, abilities, and socio-economic groups through pickleball and tennis, the Steamboat Springs Tennis and Pickleball Complex is nationally acclaimed as a public recreational treasure for its facilities and programs. Located at the base of Steamboat Ski Resort, the complex features ten indoor/outdoor Tennis courts, two pro shops, and 20 indoor/outdoor year-round Pickleball courts, with the recent completion of a state-of-the-art, 35,000 sq ft Pickleball Center. By providing premier tennis and pickleball facilities, robust recreational and training programs, and innovative engagement of under-resourced families, adaptive athletes, seniors, and other social cohorts, the Steamboat Tennis and Pickleball Complex is a national leader in sports and recreation opportunities, available to all.
Steamboat Tennis and Pickleball Complex
2500 Pine Grove Road, Steamboat Springs, CO 80487
Registration Link: https://shorturl.at/Nd711