Arlington's tennis and pickleball players are getting a lot more room to play. On August 3, the town's Board of Mayor and Aldermen unanimously approved a $1.7 million construction contract with Viktor Hall Construction LLC to build a major expansion of the Arlington Tennis Center, adding 12 new pickleball courts and two new tennis courts to the existing complex.
The vote, first reported by the Daily Memphian, sets construction to begin this fall, with town officials targeting completion and a public opening by summer 2027. According to the Town of Arlington, the expansion project also includes a central shade structure, a maintenance building with a hitting wall, a second driveway, and expanded parking near Memphis-Arlington Road and Milton Wilson Road. The town's site plan shows the new courts and amenities filling out the area originally set aside for the facility's second phase, and the existing tennis courts at the complex will be resurfaced as part of the work.
A Long-Planned Second Phase
The expansion has been years in the making. The Daily Memphian's report notes that Phase 2 originally called for additional tennis courts, but the design was later updated to add dedicated pickleball courts as demand for the sport grew. The Board of Mayor and Aldermen laid the groundwork in September 2025 by approving a design consultant agreement with engineering firm Kimley-Horn, which drafted the site plans and bid documents, as reported by Citizen Portal.
The town formally advertised for public construction bids in May, specifying post-tension concrete court construction, sidewalk improvements, and expanded parking, with bids due by June 18, per the Memphis Daily News. Post-tension concrete construction is intended to give the outdoor courts enhanced durability. Viktor Hall Construction LLC's selection followed that competitive municipal bidding process, and the firm previously landed a separate $3.6 million infrastructure contract from the town earlier this year, according to a report cited by Alderman Biggs.
From Six Courts to Regional Complex
The original Arlington Tennis Center opened in 2019 as a joint development between the town and Arlington Community Schools, featuring six hard courts, a pavilion and restroom facilities designed for heavy use by both high school athletic teams and the public. But the town's parks master plan later designated a second phase as a short-term priority after finding that the Phase 1 facility could no longer keep up with growing demand from local tennis and recreational organizations.
That growth mirrors a broader trend across the region. By July, Shelby County had 86 pickleball courts spread across 23 public and commercial venues, according to CourtSource.us, reflecting how quickly the sport has taken hold locally. Neighboring Collierville opened its own dedicated outdoor pickleball courts at Suggs Park back in May 2024, part of a wider pattern of Memphis-area suburbs investing in court conversions and expansions to keep pace with player demand.
Regional Funding Ties Into Access Plans
The expansion isn't just about courts. Regional transportation planners included pedestrian access funding for the Arlington Tennis Center complex in the Memphis Urban Area Metropolitan Planning Organization's FY 2026–2029 Transportation Improvement Program, aiming to connect the park facility to surrounding residential areas along Memphis-Arlington Road through multi-modal access improvements.
Once complete, the new courts will be open to the public for recreational use, joining the resurfaced original courts as part of a single, expanded complex. With construction slated to start this fall and a summer 2027 opening in view, Arlington's tennis and pickleball community won't have to wait too much longer for the extra elbow room.
