LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — The City of Las Vegas has broken ground on a $12 million, 24-court pickleball complex at Wayne Bunker Park after six years of planning.
The facility will double the number of public pickleball courts in the city and include seating, covered courts and restrooms. Construction began earlier this month.
Players welcome new courts
Chris and Dean Schulte, a father and 13-year-old son who have played pickleball for about two years, said they currently drive 30 minutes to Henderson to find courts.
“This is much closer and it’s a giant facility. And there’s going to be courts that are covered,” Chris Schulte said.
Funding questions raised
Some residents have questioned the project’s funding and priorities through online comments. Councilwoman Francis Allen-Palenske, who represents Ward 4, said the decision to build was made six years ago through a competitive bid process.
“The money is earmarked for public purpose for recreational use,” Allen-Palenske said.
She explained the new regional pickleball complex is not being funded through local taxpayer dollars. The project is funded due to the Southern Nevada Public Land Management Act, which authorized the sale of BLM-administered federal lands within a designated boundary in the Las Vegas Valley and required proceeds to be used on projects to fund federal, state and local projects that benefit communities and public lands.
SNPLMA funds come from the sale of federally managed land and are legally restricted to parks and recreation projects. That means this funding cannot be used for things like roads, housing, schools or public safety — and it also cannot be redirected to other services.
“We do our best to serve the needs of all of the city of Las Vegas,” Allen-Palenske said.
The project is set to be completed in early 2027.
Copyright 2026 KVVU. All rights reserved.
