Manlius opens six new pickleball courts with July 4 tournament

Manlius will pair six new pickleball courts with an Independence Day tournament on Saturday, July 4, giving local players a first look at a project built for both casual play and organized competition. The grand opening at Village Centre Field will run from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., with a ribbon cutting shortly before play begins.

The courts sit on the former soccer field between the Village Centre and Willowbrook Drive, and the village has already signaled that they are meant to be used right away. Before the tournament, the courts will operate on a first-come, first-served basis from dawn to dusk. After the event, some of the courts will be reserved for programming run by the Village of Manlius and the Town of Manlius, extending the site beyond a single holiday weekend.

The tournament will be mixed doubles round-robin, with beginner-intermediate and advanced divisions and seven teams in each division. Entry is $20 per team, and the village said it cannot accept online payments. Players can pay by phone, in person, or in cash on tournament day. Prizes will go to first- and second-place finishers in both divisions during the village’s Independence Day ceremony after the 5:00 p.m. parade.

The six-court project carries a price tag of $385,000 and was backed by public money from several levels of local government. State Sen. Christopher J. Ryan announced $70,000 in grant funding in November 2025, alongside $190,000 from an Onondaga County Main Street Grant and $40,000 from the Town of Manlius. Ryan said the village had previously used its gym for pickleball, but that setup allowed only one court and took space away from senior exercise and other recreation programming. The courts were expected to be completed by June 2026.

Village officials have framed the project as a broader community buildout, not just a new place to dink. Mayor Hank Chapman described it as an example of intermunicipal cooperation, while Town Councilor Alissa Italiano said it responds to growing demand for outdoor recreation across age groups. Parks and Recreation Director Ryan Campbell said the courts will support casual play, tournaments and lessons. For players looking for a day-trip stop, Manlius is now putting the courts, the July 4 parade, the chicken BBQ, food trucks and fireworks all in one civic stretch.