Premier Sports Campus North in Lakewood Ranch is finally shifting from renderings to reality. Construction crews are on the ground, and Manatee County says the new 44,000-square-foot Athletics & Aquatics Center is designed to pull double duty: give locals a place to train and play, and lure in big tournaments that fill hotel rooms and restaurant tables across East Manatee.
The complex will bundle a long-course competition pool with a separate therapy pool, locker rooms and walking trails, plus a hefty slate of pickleball courts. County leaders are banking on the project to become a year-round engine for both recreation and visitor spending.
Premier Sports Campus: Progress Update! Construction is underway at Premier Sports Campus North in Lakewood Ranch. Expected to open late this year, the new state-of-the-art Athletics & Aquatics Center will feature a competition pool, therapy pool, locker rooms, 24 pickleball #pickleball https://x.com/ManateeGov/status/2023844169165226386
— Manatee County Government (@ManateeGov) February 17, 2026
According to Manatee County Government, the Athletics & Aquatics Center is expected to open late this year. Plans call for a competition pool, therapy pool, locker rooms, walking trails and 24 pickleball courts, 14 of them covered for those brutal summer afternoons. The county also flagged expanded parking to handle both everyday traffic and tournament crowds.
Timeline and budget
As reported by YourObserver, the county approved a construction contract in December that locks in a 567-calendar-day schedule and a roughly $44.2 million maximum price for the project.
Tandem Construction recorded Jan. 30, 2025, as the official groundbreaking date and confirmed that crews are now fully mobilized on site.
What this means locally
For swim families in East Manatee, the long-course pool is more than a shiny amenity. Parents and coaches say it could keep serious competitors from having to trek to Sarasota or farther for top-tier training and meets. “It’s a game changer for us,” parent Paul Messal told YourObserver.
Pickleball organizers, meanwhile, are eyeing those 24 courts as a pressure valve for packed public facilities nearby. With many of the courts slated to be shaded, they say the site should comfortably handle local leagues and open play while also giving the area enough capacity to chase regional tournaments.
Next steps and public access
To let residents keep tabs on the build in real time, Manatee County plans to mount a job-site camera on the Lakewood Ranch Library. The view will track the Athletics & Aquatics Center as it comes together, according to Manatee County Government.
The county also says membership options will include reciprocity with nearby facilities such as G.T. Bray Park and the John Marble Recreation Center, so regulars at those sites will not have to pick a favorite. Staff expect Premier Sports Campus North to serve residents first while still positioning Lakewood Ranch as a more attractive host for tournaments and the tourism dollars that come with them.
