The University of Colorado Athletic Department and the City of Boulder are partnering to provide a new indoor facility for tennis players throughout the community, including members of the CU Tennis team.
CU and the city will build a shared indoor facility at East Boulder Community Park, fulfilling recommendations from the city’s Court System Plan while also supporting CU’s need for additional courts for team practice and competition. The facility may feature four to six courts, and be available year-round.
“This is a terrific example of how creative partnership can help address mutual needs,” said Boulder Parks and Recreation Director Ali Rhodes. “We are thrilled to be working with our university partners to enhance court availability in our community.”
The facility will be located at the city-owned land south of East Boulder Community Park, on property formerly known as Hogan Pancost. The property was purchased in 2019 and approved for utility and parkland uses.
In addition to the indoor tennis facility, the city will also construct up to eight new dedicated outdoor tennis courts and convert existing tennis courts to dedicated pickleball courts. Final project details, such as court numbers, will be confirmed upon completion of a baseline site analysis.
“CU Athletics is proud to join the City of Boulder on this project, which is good for the community and our tennis program,” said CU Athletic Director Rick George. “A facility of this caliber will give our student-athletes the resources to compete at the highest level while also creating opportunities for tennis and pickleball players throughout Boulder.”
Site analysis has already started to support the annexation and development of the expanded park. This analysis includes traffic studies, wetlands mapping, wildlife and vegetation inventories and hydrology reports.
The city estimates a ribbon cutting in summer 2026. The final project schedule will be shared as the project moves from analysis into concept plan and design/construction.
“Both tennis and pickleball are sports that promote life-long health while also building community,” Rhodes said. “We are eager to help more people achieve these goals and will be working to complete this project as quickly as possible.”
In the meantime, the university has also developed a temporary plan to make more courts available – both for the CU Tennis team and the broader public – this winter.
Starting in January, the CU Tennis team will utilize CU’s historic Balch Fieldhouse for individual coach/player practices. Three temporary courts will be created inside the iconic fieldhouse and will also be open to the community through an online reservation system, from January through April. A website where people can reserve courts at Balch will be available soon.
Balch Fieldhouse has been the home for several varsity sports in its 87-year history, including both basketball teams, volleyball and the track & field programs.
