Dill Dinkers Pickleball Complex To Double In Size This Summer In Howard County

HOWARD COUNTY, MD — A year after securing a 15,000-square-foot facility for a pickleball complex in Columbia, owners Denise and Will Richards have doubled their facility's size.

The couple has signed for another 15,000-square-feet at 9179 Red Branch Road and will expand its six-court Dill Dinkers Pickleball to 12 courts this summer within the 60,000-square-foot single-story building, reports the Commercial Observer.

“In addition to our daily leagues and drop-in play, many businesses and groups have utilized our facility for team-building exercises and tournaments, which has exponentially increased the use of the venue which has been a pleasant surprise,” Will Richards told Commercial Observer in an email. “The pace of the sport allows people of all ages and skill sets to quickly embrace it, and once you play pickleball, you are instantly hooked.”

Pickleball, a combination of badminton, Ping Pong and tennis, prompted the Richards to launch the first indoor pickleball court in Howard County. The couple began playing pickleball as a hobby, but then decided it could become a business venture for them, Patch previously reported.

Dill Dinkers offers co-ed, men's, women's and youth leagues and tournaments for various skill levels. Private lessons and walk-in play also are available.

“My wife and I were playing Pickleball in a converted horse arena in Pennsylvania that lacked heat and proper restrooms during the middle of the winter but, despite these deficiencies, the place was packed with participants,” Will Richards told WMAR. “This amazed us and we wondered about the possibilities for a facility that included every modern comfort."

Earlier this month, the couple announced plans to open an indoor pickleball facility at the former Carroll Tennis Center in Finksburg. The facility will be located at 2950 Dede Road in the former Carroll Tennis Center. It will feature 12 outdoor-style, indoor pickleball courts, locker rooms with showers, event space, a pro shop, ball machine rental and a state-of-the-art reservation system. There also will be a welcoming space to socialize with other players.

"Since we've opened in Columbia, we've had hundreds of players visit our facility from across the United States looking for an opportunity to play indoor pickleball," Will Richards said. "As ambassadors for the sport, we are committed to providing a fun, friendly, welcoming environment for new and current pickleball players in the Mid-Atlantic."