"Boca Raton is the pickleball capital of the world," Boca Paddle co-founder Brian Levine told The Palm Beach Post on Oct. 2. He said the city is home to seven of the world's top-ranked players. His club is scheduled to open Wednesday, Nov. 18, at West Jeffery Street and North Dixie Highway, north of Yamato Road, on land that was the Ocean Breeze golf course until 2018.
The order of events matters for east Boca. The Greater Boca Raton Beach & Park District owns the land, and on North Park the paid club is opening ahead of the park's main public amenities. The free trails, dog park and playground on the same property are scheduled to finish about seven months later. The largest part of the old course still has no plan. That order came from decisions the District made along the way.
Eight Years on the Old Ocean Breeze Course
The site has been through several plans since the District bought it. According to the District's September 2026 capital projects overview, it went like this:
- February 2018. The District buys Ocean Breeze, a 27-hole course in east Boca Raton.
- 2018. Southern Hills designs Boca National Golf Club, an 18-hole course estimated at about $14 million to build. That July, the Board approves a change order to demolish the old hotel, clubhouse and other buildings.
- Fall 2020. The City of Boca Raton announces a donated golf course nearby. City Council members say they will no longer consider approving a golf course at this site.
- 2021 to 2022. The District hires Miller Legg to master-plan a park, and the Board approves a conceptual plan by the end of 2022.
- March and August 2024. The racquet club partnership goes to the Malcolm Butters group, and the Board approves a contract with Boca Paddle.
- Sept. 5, 2024. The city's Planning and Advisory Board approves both Boca Paddle and the east-side park site plan.
- June 2025. Boca Paddle breaks ground. Construction starts that August.
- June 2026. The east-side park contract goes to Butters Construction after a third round of bidding.
- September 2026. The east side of the park breaks ground.
The club and the park won site plan approval on the same day. The club's groundbreaking came about 15 months before the park's.
How the Club Got Ahead
Under Boca Paddle's concession agreement, the District has to bring sewer, utilities, parking and road access to the club's property line. On Aug. 4, 2025, the Board authorized Butters Construction to do that work "in order to expedite the construction of Boca Paddle." Two weeks later, on Aug. 18, the Board adopted Resolution 2025-04 to remediate soil by encapsulating it beneath the club's footprint, a method the overview says was approved by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.
The park took longer to bid. The District's first four bids for the eastern portion all came in over budget and were rejected. The second round of four was also rejected after the city took over the pedestrian tunnel under Jeffery Street, which changed the scope. Butters won the third round in June 2026.
Taxpayers are funding the park side. At its Sept. 22 final budget hearing, the District board lowered the 2027 millage rate from 1.08 to 1.0331 mils, and the District said the revenue will help fund projects including North Park.
What Opens Nov. 18
The District calls Boca Paddle a $17 million facility. The District owns the building and the land, and Boca Paddle runs it. CityPickle, a pickleball operator with locations in New York City, manages the club. The Palm Beach Post describes the building as 100,000 square feet. Here is how the courts break down:
- 25 courts total. That includes 19 cushioned pickleball courts and six high-clearance padel courts.
- 16 indoor, air-conditioned courts. Fourteen are for pickleball and two are for padel.
- Nine outdoor courts. Five of them are covered.
- The Royal Court. A 1,000-seat stadium court.
- Cameras and 70-inch monitors on every court. Players can track scores and replay points.
Levine told the Post the club will offer more than 200 hours of court time a day, with some courts set aside for first-time players. Programs will include clinics, lessons, open play, leagues and tournaments. Beyond the courts, there are locker rooms with showers, saunas, a cold plunge, a warmup and recovery zone, a pro shop, and a co-working space with phone booths.
As of early November 2026, the club's membership page lists these individual rates:
| Tier | Monthly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| Community | $49 | $539 |
| Standard | $149 | $1,639 |
| Plus | $299 | $3,289 |
Couple and family plans are also listed. Family memberships run $399 or $549 a month. The Post reports no initiation fee. You don't need a membership to play. A day pass costs $35 for Boca Raton residents with proof of residence and $40 for nonresidents. Court rentals and most programs cost extra, and the Plus tier includes 12 open-play passes a month.
The Part Anyone Can Walk Into
Farmer's Kitchen, a full-service restaurant and bar, is run by Mitchell Robbins, owner of Farmer's Table in Boca Raton. The Boca Raton Tribune reported that it is open to the public without a membership or day pass. So if you live off Yamato and don't play either sport, you can still use the club's restaurant.
Until the trails open, the only other public spot on the property is the Traffic Garden on Jeffery Street, west of NW 2nd Avenue. It used to be tennis courts, and the pavement is now painted with lanes where children can practice bicycle and road safety away from cars. The District says it has been open since 2025 and has added restrooms and a shaded seating area, with a parking lot next door. The District calls it a temporary amenity that will stay open until future redevelopment.
The club also brings pro pickleball to Boca. It will be home to the Palm Beach Royals, a Major League Pickleball team. WPTV reported that the Royals play road matches in 2026 and move into Boca Paddle in 2027. The ownership group also includes some of the sport's top players. The Post names Anna Bright, Ben Johns, JW Johnson, Jorja Johnson and Gabriel Tardio as partners, along with Life Time and Butters Construction.
The Free Park Arrives in Summer 2027
The east side covers 70 acres. Plans call for more than five miles of walking and riding trails, a dog park, a playground, and some trails with exercise equipment. District Chair Bob Rollins described the September groundbreaking as "the end of the beginning." The design also includes restrooms, pavilions and a maintenance facility. The District expects the work to be substantially complete by June 2027.
So for the 2026–27 winter season, North Park has a finished club next to an active construction site. The District's overview also says the existing west pedestrian tunnel is closed, with repair documents complete.
The 140 Acres Without a Plan
The west side is about twice the size of the east side, and it is still open land. In July 2025, the District asked for recreation ideas for roughly 140 west-side acres and a separate 1.8-acre parcel. It got nine proposals, including golf, sports, surf and a Boys & Girls Club.
The Board turned down the surf and aquatics proposals on Nov. 3, 2025, citing compatibility and traffic concerns. It rejected the rest of the west-side proposals on Nov. 17, 2025. Negotiations with the Boys & Girls Club over the 1.8-acre parcel began in March 2026, and the Board ended them by a 3-2 vote on Aug. 17, 2026. The District's September overview says future west-side planning will happen later, as the Board decides.
Getting In and Around
The club's address is 50 W. Jeffery Street, with access from Federal Highway and I-95. The District also lists an east entrance to the park off Yamato Road. Jeffery Street will see more work beyond the club. In a June 22 release, the City said construction on the Jeffery Street railroad crossing over the Florida East Coast Railway was anticipated to begin in fall 2026, coordinated with FDOT and the railroad. The City's road closures page posts current detours.
Here are the scheduled North Park dates:
| What | When |
|---|---|
| Boca Paddle grand opening | Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2026 |
| Palm Beach Royals home season at Boca Paddle | 2027 |
| East-side trails, dog park and playground | Substantial completion targeted for June 2027 |
| West side, about 140 acres | Planning later, as the Board decides |
Both the Nov. 18 opening and the June 2027 park date come from the club and the District. The District's website is where updates on the park's construction will be posted.
If you own a home near Yamato Road, Jeffery Street or Dixie Highway, the new club and the park still under construction may change how buyers see your street. Branham Properties can show you where your home stands with its neighbors this season. Request a Free Home Valuation, and we'll include what's opening on the old Ocean Breeze course.
