One of the biggest reasons people love pickleball is the sense of community it creates. It’s not a solo sport. it brings strangers together through a shared love of staying active and playing a genuinely fun game.

And the newly opened St. Pete Athletic is doing just that, fostering the perfect beachside hub for Florida’s pickleball community.

“We had the initial idea to make a club about four years ago when I was playing with Graham D’Amico, one of our founders, at the Crescent Lake courts in St. Pete. It was very tough to get a court. It could take you over two hours to get on a court for a single game,” recalled Reuben Pressman, the founder and managing operator of the facility.  “We loved pickleball, and we saw the opportunity to create something special.”

Pressman shared that demand for additional courts was high, with a clear gap in the market for quality facilities paired with top-tier amenities that could serve as true social gathering spots.

That’s where Jarrett Sabatini, a St. Pete luxury bar and café owner, and Nathan Stonecipher of Green Bench Craft Beer stepped in, helping bring the club’s restaurant, café, and bar to life and creating a space where people can gather to play, eat, and connect.

“In the meantime, [D'Amico] purchased and started the Florida Smash, one of the MLP teams,” mentioned Pressman. “And it gave us the opportunity to create a place to host MLP tournaments.”

St. Pete Athletic celebrated its grand opening in January, and this June, the facility will take things even further by hosting an MLP Tournament.

The team is thrilled to welcome some of the best players in the world to their courts.

“We know how special MLP is, and I think this it's going to be the best venue that’s ever been played in up to this point,” praised D’Amico. “We’re hoping that this takes Major League Pickleball to another level.”

The facility also features a wall of signed pickleball paddles from pros who have stopped by to play, including Florida Smash players Travis Rettenmaier, Cason Cambell, and Martina Frantova, as well as visiting pros like Rachel Rohrabacher and Andrei Daescu.

Even local pros are frequent visitors to the courts.

General manager Tommy Farr shared that Rettenmaier is there almost daily, often coming in on his own.

Hosting pro tournaments, however, is just one part of the story. The club also offers a packed calendar of events designed to bring members, regulars, and newcomers together. Over Valentine’s Day weekend, St. Pete Athletic will host singles events, couples tournaments, and even take part in the rising trend “Pitch a Friend,” where participants create PowerPoint presentations to help set their friends up on dates.

“In order to build community, you have to have really fun events like this,” said D’Amico. “We’re creating memories for St. Pete. We may connect someone on the 13^th of February that ends up getting married and having kids, and that moment started here.”

As demand grows for “third places”—spaces outside of home and work where people can gather and connect—Farr believes the club fills that role perfectly for St. Pete locals.

“We’re not just a pickleball club, right? We’re a social setting more than anything. We’re a place that people want to be in from the start of their day to the finish,” he explained. “We want to be a true third space and be a hub within the community.” 

St. Pete Athletic features pickleball, padel, and table tennis courts, along with a full-service restaurant, bar, and café, making it a destination with something for every racket-sport enthusiast.

To keep up to date on all things pickleball, follow us on Instagram or X (formerly Twitter).