In Southwest Florida pickleball circles, Jim Ludwig is legendary. Even those who’ve never heard his name recognize his achievement: the 64 courts at East Naples Community Park—the largest dedicated pickleball facility in the world.
For nearly a decade, the park has hosted the US Open Pickleball Championships in April—one of the sport’s defining events— drawing 50,000 spectators. Now, the center and tournament enter a new era as leadership passes to Mike Dee, a veteran sports executive whose resume spans the National Football League and Major League Baseball.
The shift comes as pickleball attempts a new balancing act: After several years as the fastest-growing sport in America, powered by grassroots play, major investment is shifting toward competitive pro tours. With his background, Mike would be well-positioned to follow the trend. Instead, he’s intent on safeguarding the accessible culture that catapulted pickle - ball from game to phenomenon and established Naples as the epicenter. “We’re never going to risk tinkering with the formula—the culture, the core audience of people who come to play and watch pickleball,” he says. “It seems pretty simple, but nobody’s been able to replicate it.”
Photography by Brian Tietz
naples pickleball center east naples community park mike dee
The 64-court pickleball center at East Naples Community Park and its annual US Open Pickleball Championships enter a new era this year under veteran sports executive Mike Dee.
Much of the sport’s local participatory zeal can be traced back to Jim. Long before Naples became the pickleball capital, Jim was just another player caught up in the game. In 2010, he took his first swings at Lakewood Country Club—one of the first clubs to champion the sport in Naples— and succumbed to the addictive pull.
As courts filled to capacity, Jim and his fellow paddle-wielding evangelists scoured the area for room to expand. He petitioned Collier County to trans - form East Naples Community Park’s dilapidated roller rink into permanent pickleball courts. Jim progressively added more courts to meet demand, growing the facility to 64 courts by 2018 as membership mushroomed to 6,500. “I was going to the county saying, ‘I want to build 10 [more] courts,” Jim recalls. “By the time we got through the process, we had more people than would fit on those 10 courts.”
The expanding East Naples facility drew Chris Evon and Terri Graham to Jim’s doorstep in 2015, with plans for a tournament that would reshape the competitive landscape. Back then, the USA National Pickleball Championships stood as the gatekeeper with 600 players who had to qualify for the draw. Embodying Naples’ hospitable ethos, the women envisioned the world’s largest gathering of pickleballers, where fervent camaraderie would meet fierce competition.
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Photography by Brian Tietz
naples pickleball center east naples community park mike dee
While planning to nearly double the tournament’s size in coming years, Mike remains committed to its amateur foundation. “We’re never going to risk tinkering with the formula,” he says.
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Photography by Brian Tietz
naples pickleball center east naples community park
That ethos—the blurring of casual and competitive, the idea that anyone can step onto the court and play—has been baked into pickleball since its beginning in the 1960s, when friends improvised a game using ping-pong paddles and a Wiffle ball. The backyard, play-anyone energy never faded, and Naples built on it.
Part championship, part festival, the Open blends elite competition with street-fair energy. Top-ranked pros battle on center court for roaring crowds, while well-loved amateurs draw cheering fans, celebrating every point like it’s a title match. Other tournaments may approach its scale, but none capture the event’s distinctive alchemy.
By 2021, the Open had matured into one of the sport’s premier gatherings, attracting the attention of Pickleball4America, a group of investors with Mike as chairman. In 2022, they purchased the tournament and the facilities at East Naples Community Park, rebranding the courts as the USOP National Pickleball Center. “Now that the new crew is on board, it’s a whole different level,” Jim says.
Photography by Brian Tietz
naples pickleball center east naples community park jim ludwig
Jim (pictured here) helped pioneer pickleball in Naples, laying the groundwork for today’s USOP Pickleball Center. Building on his legacy, the facility launches an elite academy this fall under former pro Justin Romero.
Mike’s trajectory includes serving as CEO of the Miami Dolphins. Before that, as COO of the Boston Red Sox, he was instrumental in inking the deal for Fort Myers’ JetBlue Park, whose 2012 debut ensured the team’s spring training remained in Southwest Florida. His thinking may be big-league, but his approach is deliberately measured—guided by preservation as much as innovation. Before formally taking the reins, Mike spent two years studying the Open’s unique DNA, while Chris, Terri and Jim continued to manage the tournament.
As he steps to the helm this month, the immediate changes will be minor—a slightly larger player pool and behind-the-scenes software to streamline brackets and court assignments. The subtle upgrades are the first steps toward Pickleball4America’s ultimate goal: nearly doubling participation to 6,000 players in coming years and adding more courts to match—part of a master plan submitted to the county. “We want to expand the footprint of the tournament into the community,” he says. “If you fly into RSW the week of the US Open, you should know it’s the Open. There could be banners on Fifth Avenue. There could be a court downtown.”
The professional circuit is a clear avenue for growth, with investment steadily flowing into two pro tours and 22 league franchises, banking on star power to expand the fan base. While Mike welcomes increased pro participation, remains committed to the Open’s foundational philosophy: “The central nervous system of pickleball is amateur play.”
As pickleball expands its global profile, Mike is committed to keeping Naples as the epicenter. This fall, USOP launches an academy under former Top 30 pro Justin Romero—a rare opportunity to train with an elite player. Mike envisions the center becoming a preeminent training facility for casual players and tomorrow’s tournament headliners. “There’s only one US Open and one facility where it’s played,” Mike says. “When the book on pickleball is written 50 years from now, there will be a huge chapter on Collier County.”
Photography by Brian Tietz