Sarasota County adds six lighted pickleball courts at Twin Lakes Park

Twin Lakes Park’s pickleball addition opened as part of a much larger park package, with six new lighted courts tied to a new Parks Administration Building and a new Twin Lakes Park Community Building at the same ribbon-cutting. The June 9 ceremony at 5883 Hummingbird Ave. put the courts in context: this was not just another strip of asphalt, but a fuller recreation site built for play, gathering and longer visits.

The court project itself was built out in clear stages through the spring. Sarasota County said lighting was installed on April 20, 2026, grading wrapped on April 23, asphalt was placed for the tennis courts on April 24 and for the pickleball courts on April 27. The plan also includes fencing, a shade structure, accessible pedestrian connections and other amenities, with possible lighting for the existing tennis courts as well. George F. Young Inc. designed the work, and Jon F. Swift Construction served as contractor.

That combination gives Twin Lakes a stronger case as a destination-style pickleball stop. Lighted, dedicated courts matter in Florida because they extend play into the evening, when heat eases and group sessions become easier to organize. Paired with the new buildings, the site can support not just open play but meetups, county events and amateur competitions that need room for check-in, shade, parking flow and indoor space nearby. Sarasota County also says it offers indoor and outdoor pickleball opportunities across the county, with indoor play available on a first-come, first-served basis and no registration required.

The project has been moving through county approvals for more than a year. The Sarasota County Commission approved the pickleball courts on Nov. 18, 2025, construction began with a Notice to Proceed on Dec. 15, 2025, and the county estimated completion for June 2026. The broader Twin Lakes package, including the administration building, pickleball courts and renovations, was reported at $13.78 million, while the courts alone were approved with a $1 million appropriation in March 2024.

Twin Lakes has room to carry that investment. The 123-acre site was acquired by Sarasota County in 1986, was originally built by the Kansas City Royals for baseball training, and was renamed the Buck O’Neil Baseball Complex in 2011. With six lit courts now joined to new civic space, the park’s next chapter looks built for more than a quick stop and a few games.