24 New Pickleball Courts Are Opening in Lakewood Ranch. What About GT Bray?

Pickleball is huge in Bradenton and everywhere else. If you've been to GT Bray when the courts are busy, you don't need statistics to tell you that. And if I were an orthopedist, I'd sponsor the courts and have my banner hanging everywhere. Just sayin'.

The C.V. Walton Racquet Center at GT Bray currently has 24 pickleball courts, including indoor and covered outdoor courts, and they get plenty of use. I used to do an early morning boot camp there and, the courts were packed at 6am!

So when you hear Manatee County is opening another 24 pickleball courts, you might assume they're expanding GT Bray.

They're not.

The Big Expansion Is in Lakewood Ranch

Manatee County's new Athletics and Aquatics Center at Premier Sports Campus in Lakewood Ranch includes 24 pickleball courts along with two competition pools.

That's essentially another GT Bray-sized collection of pickleball courts being added on the east side of the county.

And honestly, it makes sense.

Manatee County has exploded east of I-75 and keeps getting bigger. Until now, many East Bradenton and Lakewood Ranch residents who wanted access to major public recreation facilities have had to drive west or into Sarasota.

Will 24 new courts in Lakewood Ranch take some pressure off GT Bray? Maybe. At the very least, people living in Lakewood Ranch and farther east will have a major public option much closer to home.

GT Bray Is Getting More Courts Too

For you pickle ball players closer to GT Bray? Don't fret - it isn't being forgotten.

Plans are underway to add eight more pickleball courts along with a support building with restrooms, storage and staff space.

There's no firm opening date yet, so I wouldn't count those courts before they're striped. But eight additional courts would be a meaningful increase to a facility that's already heavily used.

West Bradenton and East Bradenton Are Different

I think that's actually the more interesting part of this story.

For years, GT Bray has been one of the major recreation centers serving West Bradenton. It's much more than pickleball, with the pool, fitness center, sports fields, tennis, walking paths, dog park and other facilities all in one place.

Meanwhile, Manatee County's population has continued to push east. It makes sense that public facilities follow that growth.

If you live in West or Northwest Bradenton, having GT Bray nearby is a real convenience. I've loved having it 8 minutes away for fitness, swim lessons for Will and even aqua aerobics for me - yes, I said it - aqua aerobics. If you live in Lakewood Ranch, the new Athletics and Aquatics Center gives that side of the county a major recreational facility of its own.

Neither is necessarily better. They're serving different parts of a very large and growing county.

Why This Matters When You're Choosing Where to Live

When people start looking for a home, it's easy to focus almost entirely on the house. From my perspective as your buyer's agent, I also want to know what your everyday life is going to look like once you move to your new home.

Do you work out? Do you walk a walk the dog? What kind of sports or activities do you like and how far will you drive to get there? Is an easy trip to the grocery important? Do you have a work commute?

Those things aren't nearly as exciting as the kitchen in the listing photos, but you'll probably use them a lot more often. They are also instrumental in finding the perfect neighborhood before you find the house. 

The expansion of public recreation in Manatee County is another reminder of how much this area has grown. GT Bray continues to be an important part of life on the west side of Bradenton, while Lakewood Ranch and East County are getting more facilities of their own.

And somewhere in Manatee County, someone is still waiting for a pickleball court.

If you're looking at neighborhoods and what may fit your lifestyle, not just what the listing says, that's the kind of groundwork I do for every Bradenton-area conversation. Sue Carroll. Let's Chat.