Las Vegas Plans $12M Pickleball Complex Amid Federal Spending Debate

Las Vegas is moving forward with a $12 million pickleball project at Wayne Bunker Family Park. The project aims to add 25 new courts and significantly expand the city's existing facilities. City Councilwoman Francis Allen-Palenske, who has been a strong advocate for increasing pickleball access in the community, supports the initiative.

"Pickleball is without a doubt the fastest growing sport in America, and I have constant calls — I wanna play more pickleball," Allen-Palenske said, emphasizing the sport's popularity and the demand for more courts. She also highlighted that funding comes from a Bureau of Land Management (BLM) grant rather than local taxpayer dollars.

To address noise complaints from local residents, sound-dampening walls will be installed during the project. But not everybody is on board. The local watchdog group DOGE NV has criticized this use of proceeds from sale of federal land for the project, saying the funds were better used for affordable housing. Any reallocation would require congressional approval, and the BLM has pointed to the Southern Nevada Public Lands Management Act, which allows such funds to be used for parks and recreation.

Criticism has also come from outside Nevada, with Kentucky Senator Rand Paul labeling the project wasteful federal spending and questioning whether government funds should support recreational activities like pickleball. Despite that controversy, the city is moving forward in terms of another major investment in recreational infrastructure, with plans to finish the courts by late 2026. Allen-Palenske defended the allocation of funding, saying federal grant dollars received rank low for Nevada, making projects like this very competitive. These courts will be meeting the growing demand for this popular sport and serving as an important recreational resource for the community.