Plans are underway for a private pickleball center in the Forest Hill Heights area of southeastern Germantown. 

A group of local pickleball fanatics and Beaman Ventures are partnering in the investment to bring the club-style pickleball concept to Germantown. Pete Tashie, one of the investors, has met with Mayor Mike Palazzolo and Cameron Ross, economic and community development director, to discuss the concept.

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“When we were approached with the concept plan, it just made all the sense and how this could really fit in well in the Forest Hill Heights area,” Palazzolo said. “It could help the other property owners.”

It’s just northwest of where Germantown plans to build a premier sports complex, across the street from 55 acres Boyle acquired in 2021. There is a contract on the land pending the city’s approval of the project.

Both the sports facility and pickleball concept could act as anchors for Forest Hill Heights, bringing guests and tourists, Palazzolo said.

The plan for Pickleball Garden is the biggest local pickleball club plan to date. There will be 40 courts: 15 outdoor courts, 10 indoor courts and 15 covered. It will be landscaped beyond what the city requires.

Tyler Tashie, Pete’s son, works for Beaman Ventures in Nashville but was born and raised in Memphis. He was looking for an athletic entertainment investment, and his dad pitched the pickleball club. Tyler played for the first time about eight years ago before it was mainstream and said he beat his dad. Pete says that isn’t the case.

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“My main goal in pickleball is to beat my dad at this point,” Tyler said. “I usually win about the sixth or seventh game, when I can wear him out.”

They were playing before it became more mainstream, but now it’s one of the fastest-growing sports in the United States.

Pete Tashie and Randy Stafford, who manufactures pickleball paddles and is one of the investors, remember when racquetball began to grow in popularity. Pickleball has similar potential.

“We grew up playing racquetball in the ’70s when it was in its heyday,” Pete Tashie said. “We were involved in it when it was having its explosive growth. Pickleball is mimicking that but much faster.”

Pickleball is played outdoors and more accessible to a variety of people, as people can play at several public parks around town. 

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“People that never touched a ball, never touched a racquet — those are the ones driving the sport as far as popularity goes because it gives them a purpose in life,” Stafford said.

It’s multigenerational, and it’s social. People can talk as they are playing or go grab a meal after playing for a bit. So, having a dedicated place for that in Germantown made sense to the investors.

There will be a restaurant with food and beverage options and locker rooms. The amenities are an important piece of what they hope Pickleball Garden will accomplish.

“Our goal is to be able to host local, regional and national pickleball tournaments,” Pete Tashie said. “So we are building it with strategic foresight to have our club be able to host those type of tournaments. Therefore, our club is going to have those amenities.”

The club will have members who pay a monthly fee, but there will be some courts set aside for rent by the hour. Groups can also rent courts, similar to how some reserve lanes at bowling alleys.

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“We realize we have to introduce people to pickleball,” Pete Tashie said.

Members can reserve the indoor courts and play as much as they want, but there will be a membership cap. That number is to be determined.

They hope to replicate the concept. Tyler Tashie is already looking for sites in Nashville.

“If this is successful, we’d like to grow it across the region,” his father said.