Palm Springs breaks ground on major pickleball court expansion at Demuth Park

Palm Springs officials broke ground Thursday on a long-awaited expansion of pickleball courts at Demuth Park that will nearly double playing capacity at the city’s only outdoor public pickleball venue.

The $5.1 million construction contract awarded to Deark E&C Inc. will expand the popular recreational facility from 12 to 22 courts over an eight-month construction period. The project represents a scaled-back version of the original 24-court plan after initial construction bids exceeded the approved budget.

“This project has been a shining example of what can happen when we have vision, collaboration and community priorities all aligning,” said City Manager Scott Styles, who served as master of ceremonies for the groundbreaking event.

The project’s path to construction faced significant hurdles when all seven contractors who submitted initial bids in May came in over budget, with costs ranging from $6.1 million to over $7 million.

City staff worked with design firm Kimley-Horn to conduct “value engineering” that reduced the project scope to stay within the approved $6 million budget. The redesigned project eliminates two courts, reduces lighting systems from 24 to 19 courts, and cuts shade structures from 22 to 11.

As the project officially got under way Thursday, Palm Springs Mayor Ron deHarte was quick to praise community members who drove the expansion process through numerous obstacles.

“The community members who drove this expansion are the real reason why this is happening,” deHarte said. “Every time it looked like there was another hurdle or there was another budget issue, our community members are the ones that receive a tremendous amount of credit.”

DeHarte said the facility will be “envied throughout all of Coachella Valley, at least a little while until Indio opens up their 33 court facility.”

The project received funding through Measure J infrastructure funds and developer-paid recreational fees. Councilmember Jeffrey Bernstein thanked voters who supported Measure J and acknowledged the Quimby fund contributions from local developers, while Mayor Pro Tem Naomi Soto emphasized the public health benefits of the expansion.

“This expansion of the Demuth pickleball courts is more than a recreational upgrade. It’s really an investment in public health,” said Soto, who has worked in public health for 20 years.

Councilmember David Ready emphasized the quality of life benefits, saying “these kind of recreation projects go right to the heart of quality of life,” while Councilmember Jeffrey Bernstein noted that the city also views the expanded facility as an economic driver that will attract tournaments and visitors.

Bernstein also noted that the project’s origins trace back eight years when a resident approached the City Council with a report about pickleball “sweeping the nation” and advocated for investment in the sport.

The construction will require complete demolition of the existing 12 courts, tennis court and surrounding park amenities. The city has opened 12 temporary courts at the College of the Desert campus off South Hermosa Drive near East Baristo Road during the Demuth Park construction.

The new complex will feature upgraded amenities including new seating areas, planters, drinking fountains, improved lighting, drainage systems and shade structures throughout the facility. Additional project costs include $292,000 for construction management services with Dudek & Associates and $17,200 for Community Workforce Agreement administration, bringing the total project cost to approximately $5.4 million.

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