Pickleball debate fills Peachtree City Council chambers with passion and division

Peachtree City’s council chambers turned into a hotbed of emotions last week as residents packed the room to weigh in on the budget proposal for 18 new pickleball courts at Meade Field.

The normally orderly rhythm of a council meeting gave way to cheers, applause, and occasional booing as speakers alternated between passionate support and pointed criticism. Citizen and council supporters argued the project had been vetted for years and reflected the will of the voters, while two council members raised concerns about cost, timing, and fairness to taxpayers.

Supporters cite mandate and growth
One resident and pickleball club volunteer urged the council to follow through on a 2023 referendum that included funding for additional courts. “If council chooses not to support 18 courts, you’re not honoring the wishes of your citizens,” she said, pointing to community surveys and recreation board recommendations that consistently ranked pickleball among top priorities.

Other speakers described pickleball as more than a sport — a community hub drawing families, retirees, and regional tournaments. “This is not a pickleball complex alone,” one supporter said. “It’s about bringing families together with a picnic area and a place for kids and neighbors.”

Opponents push back on timing and cost
Councilwoman Suzanne Brown led the opposition, warning the project was moving too fast and too close to election season. She compared the effort to the city’s troubled hockey rink, which exceeded its budget after construction. “This pickleball project has been controversial from the start,” Brown said. “Now we’re hit with a bloated project budget, a rush timeline, and a proposal that puts us in direct competition with private businesses.”

Brown argued that the courts should charge user fees like other high-maintenance facilities in the city and raised concerns that nonresidents would benefit from facilities funded by Peachtree City taxpayers.

Councilman Clint Holland also pressed city officials on what else (other than paving, which Peachtree City has committed to do) in the $2.3 million dollar proposal could be handled by the city and lower the cost. With over an hour of debate, and back and forth—city officials indicated that only a few things could be, and those would come at steep opportunity cost, ie. Grass not getting mowed elsewhere in order to plant seeds at the new facility, timelines between contractors and the city not lining up. 

At one point Holland questioned whether lighting could be left off the parking lot for a later date. Police Chief Janet Moon stepped up immediately to say that posed a safety and theft risk for residents. 

Council wrestles with priorities
Other council members emphasized the years of public process that led to the proposal. Councilwoman Laura Johnson pointed out that pickleball advocates had been patient and engaged. “Good grief, how long have y’all been coming to these meetings?” she said, adding that the Recreation Advisory Group “did a great job of going through this line by line.”

Mayor Kim Learnard framed the project as part of Peachtree City’s legacy of building municipal recreation facilities. She noted that just as residents travel to other cities to use parks and courts for free, Peachtree City should expect to share its amenities. “That’s what municipal facilities are for,” Learnard said. “It’s clear this is what our citizens want.”

A crowd on edge
The debate was not limited to the council dais. Throughout the night, audience members reacted audibly — clapping loudly for speakers they agreed with and muttering or booing when opposing views were voiced. At times, Mayor Learnard had to ask for calm to keep the meeting moving. The emotional tenor underscored how deeply the community cares about the project.

The vote to approve was unanimous, and was greeted by a huge round of applause from the packed room. 

Erin McDowell, chair of the Recreation Advisory Groupdescribed it afterward as “a collaborative effort between the community [and] the Recreation Advisory Group,” saying it marked one of the most engaged processes Peachtree City has seen.

Looking ahead
The approved project will move forward with a budget of about $2.3 million, as proposed, funded through SPLOST. Tarkett is the contractor who has been approved the bid, and they are giving a 10-year warranty on the courts, as well as a 50-year warranty on their concrete.