Palm Springs finally awards pickleball court construction contract after rejecting initial bids

The Palm Springs City Council unanimously approved a $5.1 million construction contract Monday night for a major expansion of pickleball courts at Demuth Park, capping a two-year planning process that saw the project scaled back due to budget constraints.

The contract awarded to Deark E&C Inc. will expand the popular recreational facility from 12 to 22 courts over an eight-month construction period, nearly doubling the playing capacity at the city’s only public pickleball venue.

The approval came after the city was forced to reject initial construction bids earlier this year that exceeded the $6 million budget approved by voters through Measure J funds and city Quimby fees.

In May 2025, all seven contractors who submitted bids came in over budget, with costs ranging from $6.1 million to over $7 million for the originally planned 24-court complex. The city rejected those bids and went back to the drawing board.

“The construction costs exceeded the available budget,” City Engineer Joel Montalvo told the council, explaining that staff worked with design firm Kimley-Horn to conduct “value engineering” to reduce the project scope.

The redesigned project eliminates two courts, reduces lighting systems from 24 to 19 courts, and cuts shade structures from 22 to 11. The changes allowed the city to stay within its approved budget while still achieving the project’s core goal of significantly expanding pickleball capacity.

The project’s journey began in May 2023 when the city issued a request for proposals for design services. The Parks & Recreation Commission and members of the pickleball community had identified a clear need for more courts to meet growing demand at the highly utilized existing facility.

The city awarded a design contract to Kimley-Horn in July 2023 for $161,395, which eventually grew to over $400,000 through amendments as the scope expanded with additional community meetings and engineering work.

The Parks & Recreation Commission approved conceptual plans in 2024, and the City Council approved the $6 million funding package in July 2024, drawing from Measure J infrastructure funds and developer-paid Quimby recreational fees.

The approved construction will require complete demolition of the existing 12 courts, tennis court, and surrounding park amenities. The city plans to construct temporary courts at the current site of the College of The Desert campus during the 180-day construction window.

The new complex will feature not just expanded courts, but upgraded amenities including new seating areas, planters, drinking fountains, improved lighting, drainage systems, and shade structures throughout the facility.

The project also includes $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.

Mayor Pro Tem Naomi Soto praised staff for managing the complex process.

“This is just an incredible amount of work and such a tight time period to come here in our last meeting for the summer with an agreement,” she said.

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