Indoor pickleball courts coming to Amsterdam, N.Y.
Pickleball entrepreneurs Mike Barker and Corina Gabriel announced they are going to build four indoor pickleball courts at the Amsterdam Riverfront Center, the site of the old Amsterdam Mall.
The building is located one mile off of Interstate 90, and about 33 miles west of Crossgates Mall for players coming from the Albany area.
A press release from Xtreme Pickleball described the plan:
“The facility will be thoughtfully designed, featuring outdoor surfaces expertly crafted indoors. Players can expect the same authentic feel and performance they enjoy on outdoor courts, combined with the comfort and convenience of an indoor setting. The Amsterdam pickleball community will have a dedicated space to refine their skills, engage in friendly competition, and forge lasting friendships.”
Barker hopes to open the facility around Labor Day 2023. He is looking at ways to increase the height of the ceiling by removing the dropped ceiling and raising the lights and sprinklers. The space is located in the back of the old mall in a receiving and shipping area.
Several advanced players have signed on to be instructors at the Amsterdam facility including Chris Schmidt, James Zullo and Kevin Cafaro.
I have written about Barker’s activities before:
Barker founded Fit Happens and the 60 Minute Fitness gym franchise. He also founded and still runs Order My Eats, a restaurant delivery app that is branded to individual restaurants.
Barker has also launched a national player rating system called MyGOPR, an amateur pickleball league and the Xtreme Pickleball League, a team model based on his years playing semi-pro football in the Empire Football League.
Barker and Gabriel painted pickleball lines on public courts in Gloversville and have built a welcoming community of pickleball players there.
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