Jan. 27, 2023

Huether Family Match Pointe will break ground on a four-court expansion that will include pickleball.

Construction is expected to start in April and will bring the center to 10 courts.

The $3.6 million project, which is projected to be completed in October, will add 28,000 square feet to the facility at the Sanford Sports Complex in northwest Sioux Falls.

The added space will allow Match Pointe to increase its tennis and pickleball programming offerings and will bring additional tournaments to the city.

“This is a game-changer for us and the tennis community in Sioux Falls,” Match Pointe executive director Mark Vellek said in a statement. “We currently host 14 tournaments per year, all the way from entry-level tournaments up to national tournaments and the NSIC Championships. This added space not only allows us to run more tournaments but will also allow us to run uninterrupted programming during tournaments and college matches.”

Match Pointe has more than 500 junior tennis players who participate in lessons each year along with more than 200 adult players who participate in leagues and lessons. There are also more than 100 pickleball players who use the facility. Last year, more than 900 players from 31 states competed in Match Pointe tournaments.

“This expansion will allow us to provide tennis opportunities for more kids and will create more programming for our adult tennis players and for the pickleball community,” Vellek said. “Both tennis and pickleball have seen significant growth nationwide the past few years, so to add this indoor space for both sports will be a great thing for the community.”

Fundraising for the project began in the summer of 2021, and the organization reached its goal this past fall. Funds were raised from the local tennis and business communities.