The exterior of the Steamboat Tennis and Pickleball Center’s new pickleball facility is almost complete.

The components arrived in early September, and just a few more translucent panels need to be placed along the walls to let natural light in before the building’s outer portion is complete.  

According to Loretta Conway, executive director of Court Sports 4 Life, the nonprofit that runs the center, Thursday’s snowstorm did not cause any complications and the project is running smoothly. 

“Probably by the end of November, they will start on the inside,” Conway said. “It takes three to four months to finish the inside, so we are telling everybody we’ll be inside playing by May 1.”

Conway said electrical has already been pulled to the building and the plumbing is done. Once crews begin working the interior, they will start building the mezzanine that overlooks the courts as a viewing area. 

“Then they will build the offices, the community room, the pro shop, the bathrooms and a little kitchenette,” Conway said. “The very last thing will be the courts getting poured and fenced.”

Once the interior is complete, they will finish up the project with landscaping and the center will be open for business. 

According to Conway, they were very fortunate to raise the money needed with a loan and got everything approved by the city to begin construction on time. She said they would have opened outdoor courts in that space if construction on the new center was pushed back a year. 

If they had opened outdoor courts, those courts would have been torn apart once construction began, costing the center time and money. 

Conway said the new center is stirring a lot of talk from people all over the country. It has already booked four pickleball camps and two tennis camps with Nike for next year. The center will also host a fundraiser and dinner in August to celebrate its grand opening.

“We are happy with the progress,” Conway said.