Macon’s Rhythm & Rally may soon face competition as America’s largest pickleball complex, and the threat is coming from within the Peach State.
The proposed facility, which is known as Pickleball Club of Georgia, will be located in an existing warehouse in Atlanta’s Midtown and will have 34 pickleball courts, according to project architects Terminus Design Group. This would outnumber Rhythm & Rally, which currently has 32.
Terminus Design Group architect Neil Waddle said the new facility is laying claim to the largest in America based on its number of courts. But Macon will still have the larger facility based on square footage: Terminus Design Group wrote in a post on Instagram that the new space will be more than 100,000 square feet. It will include private event spaces, a golf simulator area, a gym, private locker rooms and a full-service kitchen and bar in addition to pickleball courts.
Rhythm & Rally has a total of 166,000 square feet.
The Atlanta project’s plans have already passed the Atlanta Beltline Design Review Committee — the body responsible for approving projects in the area — and they’re awaiting permits for demolition and construction.
The Instagram post said Terminus Design Group hopes to break ground this fall.
Rhythm & Rally opened to the public in January 2024 as part of Macon-Bibb County’s plan to revitalize the Macon Mall. Currently, it is the largest pickleball facility in the U.S. by both the number of courts and the square footage.
Since its opening, the facility has drawn visitors and even national and regional pickleball tournaments.
Chris Floore, chief communications officer with Macon-Bibb County, said the county isn’t concerned that the new facility will pose a threat to Rhythm & Rally, and that the Macon complex expects to keep drawing players and tournaments to its courts.
“It has consistently drawn players and fans not just because of its court count, but because of the culture and care they’ve cultivated here in Macon,” Floore said in an email to The Telegraph. “People come to Rhythm & Rally for high-level play, yes, but also for the atmosphere, the hospitality, and the unique charm of our venue.”
Floore also said that Rhythm & Rally plans to expand in the future, including adding food and drinks, to make it into a year-round destination for camps, corporate events, receptions, reunions and other events.
This story comes to GPB through a reporting partnership with Macon Telegraph.
