Southpark Pickleball Complex opens near Broadway and County Line with 19 courts

The Southpark Pickleball Complex opened to the public this month, bringing 19 outdoor courts to the southwest corner of S. Broadway and County Line Road and creating a new hub for casual play, lessons and organized leagues in Douglas County. The facility, at 400 W. County Line Road in Highlands Ranch, was planned, designed and built in partnership between South Suburban Parks & Recreation and the Highlands Ranch Metro District.

Officials held a grand opening event on Saturday, Jan. 31 from 10:30 a.m. to noon that included food, giveaways, free instruction and loaner equipment for newcomers, weather permitting. A community group hosted an overlapping open-play meetup the same morning, underscoring immediate local interest. Municipal project documents show construction ran from October 2024 through December 2025, with a final punch walk on Dec. 18 and county permits signed; weather delayed an earlier planned opening, pushing public access into late January.

The complex’s 19 courts are numbered 1–19, with courts 1–10 managed by South Suburban Parks & Recreation and courts 11–19 managed by the Highlands Ranch Metro District. Site amenities include two shade structures with picnic tables, onsite parking, restrooms and push-button lighting available from sunset through 10:00 p.m. daily. The facility is open from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., though courts will be locked if snow or ice make play unsafe.

Operational rules and programming were designed to balance immediate access with organized offerings. Courts are available for drop-in play only through March 1, 2026; reservations and court rentals begin March 1 and will cost $12 per hour regardless of residency. The Metro District will open registration for spring leagues, clinics and programs on Feb. 11 at noon, while South Suburban plans to begin camps, clinics, leagues and other programming in May.

South Suburban parks staff framed the facility as a direct response to demand for dedicated pickleball space. Nicole Stehlik of South Suburban Parks & Recreation said the new complex will ease competition for courts where players currently share tennis facilities: “Most of the community is having to share courts with tennis facilities, and so we're able to alleviate some of that conflict happening, and then really just give them more opportunities to play.”

For Highlands Ranch and surrounding Douglas County neighborhoods, the complex represents both a recreational amenity and a modest local economic stimulus on event days. Evening lighting and year-round hours should support weekday play and organized leagues, while tournaments and camps may boost foot traffic to nearby restaurants and retailers. Residents should note the weather-dependent policies: bad winter conditions can close courts until they are cleared and safe.

What comes next is a transition from first-come, first-served play to a mixed calendar of reservations and programs: reservations and rentals open March 1, Metro District program registration begins Feb. 11, and coordinated leagues and clinics will roll out in May. For now, the 19 courts offer new capacity and scheduling flexibility for players across Douglas County.