Tuscaloosa to Cut Ribbon March 23 for $3.76M Bowers Park Pickleball Complex

The City of Tuscaloosa and the Tuscaloosa Park & Recreation Authority will hold a ribbon-cutting at 11:00 a.m. March 23 to open a new $3.76 million pickleball complex at Bowers Park, 1600 James I Harrison Jr Parkway, featuring 19 courts, three of them covered. Officials are inviting the public to attend the ceremony, and following the ribbon cutting attendees are encouraged to bring their paddles and help break in the new courts during open play.

Construction on the project began in April 2025 with a ceremonial groundbreaking held April 30, 2025 at 10:00 a.m., where Mayor Walt Maddox, Councilor John Faile and PARA Community Outreach Director Jay Logan spoke. Elevatetuscaloosa reported that construction is expected to be completed winter 2025, a timeline that sits alongside the March 23, 2026 ribbon-cutting date and an earlier WBRC projection that work could start by August and open by December, an estimate made before the April groundbreaking.

The scope extends beyond striping and nets: city materials describe three covered courts among the 19, a new outdoor restroom, updated lighting and security features. WBRC reported that the city will spend around $3.2 million to demolish the old, worn tennis court and replace it with 19 new pickleball courts, a figure that differs from the $3.76 million total reported by the City and Elevatetuscaloosa, suggesting the $3.2 million may represent the demolition and court replacement portion of the overall budget.

Operational responsibilities will be split between the city and PARA, with WBRC stating the city will own and maintain the courts while PARA will manage the site and run tournaments. PARA already operates pickleball at Faucett Brother Activity Center, Leroy McAbee Sr. Activity Center, Mary Ann Phelps Activity Center and Kentuck Park, and PARA’s calendar shows ongoing programming and calendar changes this spring, including a membership structure update effective Feb. 1, 2026.

Speakers at the April 30 groundbreaking framed the project as both a neighborhood investment and part of a larger recreational push. Mayor Maddox said, "Bowers Park has a special meaning in my life. I spent a lot of time as a kid growing up in Tuscaloosa here. It’s an honor and privilege to be here today to break ground on another Elevate project as we continue our investment across the city. We continue with the promise we made in 2019 to the people of Tuscaloosa." Councilor Faile added, "This is for my friend, Jerry Belk. I’m excited to add to Tuscaloosa’s quality of life. We want young people to come to this town and we want them to stay because it’s such a safe city to live in. I appreciate everyone who’s had a hand in this." PARA’s Jay Logan said, "We have an opportunity to engage and be forward-thinking with recreation opportunities and this is the first step. We are so excited to be partnered with the City." Faile has also said, "We wanted something that everyone can be proud of. We’re going to have tournaments here. They’re going to come to Tuscaloosa, they’re going to stay in hotels, they’re going to eat in the restaurants, and they’re going to have a great time. And our locals can play here, too. People my age can play pickleball and not hurt themselves."

For the March 23 ribbon-cutting, attendees should plan to arrive at Bowers Park, 1600 James I Harrison Jr Parkway, at 11:00 a.m. The city lists general contact options through Tuscaloosa 311 by dialing 311 within city limits or 205-248-5311 for questions about park access or event logistics. Once the complex is fully in use, WBRC reports the city expects public pickleball courts in Tuscaloosa to total 27, positioning Bowers Park as a key venue for local play and future tournaments.