CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The Shawnee Sports Complex is expanding with the additions of pickleball courts, championship basketball courts and bleachers.
The Kanawha County Commission approved $332,000 for the construction project during its meeting last week. The commission will discuss the funding source at its April 14 meeting.
The Shawnee Sports Complex in Institute opened to the public in July 2018 in hopes of attracting local and regional sporting events. Kanawha County Commissioner Ben Salango, who led the effort in building the facility, said pickleball courts were among the public’s first requested amenities.
“Kent, you remember how many requests, emails, comments, people lobbying me, calling the office, calling here,” Salango told President Kent Carper during the meeting. “We were trying to find a way to make pickleball courts, but honestly, not many people understand or know what pickleball is.”
Former U.S. Rep. Joel Pritchard, R-Wash., and businessman Bill Bell are credited with creating pickleball in 1965. The game involves hitting a ball over a net in a similar manner to tennis. The first team to score 11 points and maintain a lead of two points wins the match.
Crews will build six pickleball courts, which could also be lined for tennis.
“We were going to have it adjustable for both to where you can put pickleball nets or tennis nets,” Deputy County Manager Andrew Gunnoe said. “We haven’t built them yet, so we can always make changes.”
Gunnoe noted additional LED lighting at the facility has been set up in anticipation of the new pickleball and basketball courts.
BBL Carlton LLC of Charleston is leading the project. According to Gunnoe, crews could finish work this spring.