As construction crews continue renovating the indoor tennis section of the Steamboat Tennis and Pickleball Center, leadership is celebrating honors awarded for the facility from the United States Tennis Association, or, USTA.

“The award means that we are doing an exemplary job of growing the sport of tennis to inspire healthier people and elevate our Steamboat community,” said Meg Tully, the Steamboat Tennis and Pickleball Center’s executive director.

Jason Scicchitano, director of tennis at the facility, said the tennis complex that has served the Steamboat Springs community for over 30 years has won several national USTA Premier Facility and industry awards for the quality of its facilities, programs, coaching and customer service.

However, this is the first time the Steamboat Tennis and Pickleball Center has earned the USTA outstanding facilities award. It was one of 45 facilities recognized for the honor, which was announced Tuesday at a luncheon during the U.S Open in Flushing Meadows Park in New York.

Currently the Steamboat Tennis and Pickleball Center, which was built as a tennis center in 1991, is in the middle of a $1.8 million improvement project that Tully said will elevate the user experience exponentially. The work began in July and remained in progress as of Thursday.

“The new exterior membrane and insulation will facilitate energy efficiency, making it easier for us to maintain comfortable playing temperatures for our players. The new indirect LED lights will match USTA standards, making it much easier for players to see the ball,” Tully said.

Scicchitano said the exterior membrane is expected to be finished by Oct. 15, at which time new LED indirect lighting will be installed.

“After this urgent phase is completed, we will look at Phase 2 of the renovation project, which includes repainting the indoor courts, upgrading the bathrooms, revamping the welcome center, and potentially replacing the HVAC system — all depending on our funding status,” Scicchitano said.

As of April 2025, the complex had raised $1,395,700 of the $1.8 million needed to fund the improvements. Brittanny Havard, director of development for the Steamboat Tennis and Pickleball Center said fundraising efforts for the project are ongoing.

Those interested in supporting the Courting Love campaign to refresh the tennis center can visit courtsports4life.org/courtinglove or contact Havard at the Steamboat Tennis and Pickleball Center at 860-575-1038.

“The construction process is fairly invasive, but our tennis community is excited about the renovation and knows it’s a major upgrade that needed to happen,” Scicchitano said.