NITRO, W.Va. (WSAZ) – The fastest-growing sport in the United States has a new facility in Nitro West Virginia.

This project, years in the making, is now officially open.

“You know, as a mayor, one of the things you want to do is be the very first to do something, and we rolled the dice here two or three years ago and we built this pickleball complex,” Mayor Nitro Dave Casebolt said. “And now look at us, we are holding one of the biggest tournaments in the country.”

Susannah Barr, a pickleball pro who came all the way from Boise, Idaho, to play in the Serving for Safety Tournament, said she is ready to break in the brand new courts.

“The facility is beautiful, obviously played here last year when we were out in the hot sun and in the elements, and it’s raining today, so it’s so amazing to have this covered facility,” Barr said.

The facility is an indoor/outdoor facility — meaning that no matter the weather, the game will still go on.

“If there hadn’t been a cover on these pickleball courts, it would have pushed our tournament back a day or two. We got players coming in from 12 different states, and there’s no way they could have stayed and played,” Casebolt said.

Barr, who has played pickleball for eight years, said this facility is a great addition to Nitro.

“I mean, it’s just great to see for the city of Nitro and for West Virginia and just putting pickleball on the map out here.”

The nearly $2 million facility is putting pickleball on the map, one match at a time.

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